Clinical Impact of Bone and Connective Tissue Markers

For many years, biochemical tests have been widely used for the diagnosis, classification, and monitoring of bone and connective tissue disease. However, shortcomings in terms of the specificity and sensitivity of such tests have prompted continual questioning about their clinical usefulness.
This book, based on a meeting organized jointly by the University of Uppsala and Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, reviews our current understanding of basic bone and connective tissue biochemistry and the clinical role of biochemical markers specific to related diseases, with special reference to rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

Contenu

[Contents without contributors checked 7/24/90 LMC.]
CONTENTS: Connective Tissue Components and Turnover: The Collagens. Basement Membranes. Versatility of Cell Adhesion Mechanisms. Proteoglycans and Matrix Proteins of Connective Tissue with Special Reference to Cartilage. Hyaluronan: Sources, Turnover, and Metabolism. Catabolism in Liver Sinusoids. Interactions between the Immune System and Connective Tissue in Arthritis: Aspects on Connective Tissue Proliferation and Breakdown. Bone Components and Turnover: Biochemistry of the Bone Matrix. Non-Collagenous Proteins of Bone. Differentiation and Function of Cells of Osteoblastic Lineage. Osteoblast Phenotypic Expression and Bone Markers. Gene Expression and Functional Studies of the Vitamin K-Dependent Protein of Bone, Osteocalcin. Mechanism of Calcification in Bone: Role of Collagen Fibrils and Collagen-Phosphoprotein Complexes in Vitro and in Vivo. The Possible Roles of Cytokines in Bone and Cartilage Metabolism. Clinical Applications of Connective Tissue Markers: Markers of Collagen Assembly and Turnover. Collagen Markers in Clinical Work. Molecular Markers for Joint Disease. Keratan Sulfate as a Marker for Cartilage Proteoglycan Catabolism. Hyaluronan as a Clinical Marker. Immunity to Cartilage Components and the Development of Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis. Round Table Discussion: Present