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The Role Of Nerves In Skeletal Development, Adaptation, And Aging., Ryan E Tomlinson, Blaine A Christiansen, Adrienne A Giannone, Damian C Genetos

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

The skeleton is well-innervated, but only recently have the functions of this complex network in bone started to become known. Although our knowledge of skeletal sensory and sympathetic innervation is incomplete, including the specific locations and subtypes of nerves in bone, we are now able to reconcile early studies utilizing denervation models with recent work dissecting the molecular signaling between bone and nerve. In total, sensory innervation functions in bone much as it does elsewhere in the body-to sense and respond to stimuli, including mechanical loading. Similarly, sympathetic nerves regulate autonomic functions related to bone, including homeostatic remodeling and vascular …