Functional modification of mitochondria during osteoclast differentiation

• Grant number: 23/12550-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Biochemical and Molecular Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Yasuyo Fukada Alves
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Rodrigues da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/08568-2 - Investigation of the extracellular vesicles (VEs) role in the initiation, propagation, regeneration, and modeling of biological mineralization, AP.TEM

Abstract

Bone remodeling is a dynamic and fundamental physiological process for skeletal renewal, which depends on the balanced activity of osteoblasts, osteoclasts and osteocytes. Osteoclasts are unique cells that resorbed bone. This function demands a high energy load and it believed that mitochondria, abundant organelles in osteoclasts, participate in the metabolic reconfiguration that occurs during the osteoclast formation and resorption function. Taking into account the importance of mitochondria as an energy source, the present project aims to characterize functional changes in mitochondria during the differentiation of osteoclasts in vitro. Furthermore, we intend to evaluate whether the effect of extracellular vesicles (EV) and microvesicles (MV) isolated from osteoblasts on osteoclast differentiation in vitro involves changes in the function of mitochondria.