Osteoimmunology: Interactions of the Immune and Skeletal Systems

Osteoimmunology refers to a field of study that investigates the interface between the skeletal system and the immune system, also known as the osteoimmune system. It also investigates the components and mechanisms of these two systems in vertebrates, such as signaling molecules, ligands, transcription factors and receptors. This field is studied clinically for treating various diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), periodontitis, osteoporosis, bone metastases and osteopetrosis. The study of the interactions between the immune system and skeletal system reveal relations that exist between structural pathologies and molecular communication taking place in the blood cells. Clinical osteoimmunology is a domain which focuses on the prevention and treatment of diseases related to the bone, which are caused by immune system disorders. Bone destruction and osteoporosis are diseases caused by the disorders of the osteoimmune system. These diseases are accompanied by RA, characterized by high infiltration of CD4+ T cells in the rheumatoid joints. This book explores all the important aspects of osteoimmunology in the present day scenario. The topics covered herein offer the readers new insights on the interactions between the immune system and the skeletal systems.