Meet the Smurfs: A bone metabolism family

(Osaka University) Researchers from Osaka University and Ehime University have found that protein Smurf2 can regulate a cellular pathway that affects bone metabolism. Smurf2 can mark certain messenger proteins--specifically those that are part of the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway--for destruction to prevent the signals from going out of control. The BMP-induced bone in mice without Smurf2 had higher mass and formation rates. These findings improve our understanding of various bone...