Osteoprotegerin,whichisamemberofthetumornecrosisfactorreceptorsuperfamilyandisinvolvedintheregulationofbonemetabolism.OPGanditsligand(OPGL)arecytokinesregulatingosteoclasto-genesis.OPGLbindstoreceptorsonthesurfaceofpreosteoclastsandstimulatestheirdifferentiationintoactiveosteoclasts.Thisleadstoosteoresorption.OPGinhibitsthisosteoclasto-genesis(OPGissecretedbyosteoblasts,andbindstoOPGL,thusinhibitingmaturationofosteoclastsandosteoresorption).ThedegreeandactivityofosteoresorptiondependmainlyonthebalancebetweenOPGanditsligand(OPGL);factorsincreasingOPGLexpressionmostlyreduceOPGexpressionandviceversa.

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