Correlation between osteoporosis and osteoclast differentiation and activation

Background: Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mass and microstructural destruction of bone tissue, lead to increased bone fragility and easy fracture, the number of fractures caused by osteoporosis is increasing every year, affecting millions of people worldwide. Osteoclasts(OC) are multinucleated giant cells formed by the gradual development, differentiation and fusion of hematopoietic stem cells under the action of monocyte colony stimulating factor(M-CSF), tumor necrosis factor(TNF) and interleukin(IL). In the process of growth and development, OC plays an important role in bone absorption. The increase or decrease of bone resorption will lead to osteoporosis or osteosclerosis and other related bone metabolic diseases.  Objective: Summary of osteoclast differentiation and activation and its role in osteoporosis to facilitate the identification of therapeutic targets for the treatment of osteoporosis. Method: We reviewed the published literature about osteoclast differentiation and activation in osteoporosis. Results: The activation and differentiation processes of osteoclasts are closely related to various signaling pathways. Different cytokines affect osteoclast differentiation and activation through different signaling pathways, thereby affecting bone resorption. Conclusion: As the only osteoclast with bone resorption activity, the mechanism of differentiation and activation is studied, and it has a good application prospect in the treatment of osteoporosis. As research progresses, cytokines that influence osteoclast differentiation and activation as a drug target for the treatment of osteoporosis will benefit patients. It is believed that with the continuous development of biomedicine, the differentiation mechanism of osteoclasts will be continuously clarified, providing a new theoretical and experimental basis for the treatment of osteoporosis.