The Role of Osteoblasts in Bone Metastatic Disease

The main function of osteoblasts is new bone production during the process of skeletal growth and bone remodelling. During bone remodelling, osteoblasts interact directly with other osteoblasts and other bone cells, such as osteoclasts, osteocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells, through complex cellular mechanisms. With the contribution of these mechanisms, osteoblasts and osteoclasts are responsible for the preservation of a balance between bone production and bone resorption. Bone metastatic disease is a frequent and unpleasant event in advanced stages of malign tumors. When the tumor cells spread to the bone microenvironment, they use the specific cellular mechanisms, disrupting the homeostasis of the bones. The cross-talk among cancer cells and bone tissue cells is crucial in the maintenance of the metastatic process, including the initial survival and seeding of disseminated tumor cells, activation of inactive micro metastatic lesions, and outspread of osteoblastic or osteolytic metastases. The aim of this review is to describe the role of osteoblasts in bone metastatic disease.