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The bone morphogenetic protein family and osteogenesis

The BMPs (bone morphogenetic proteins) are a group of related proteins originally identified by their presence in bone‐inductive extracts of demineralized bone. By molecular cloning, at least six related members of this family have been identified and are called BMP‐2 through BMP‐7. These molecules are part of the TGF‐beta superfamily, based on primary amino acid sequence homology, including the absolute conservation of seven cysteine residues between the TGF‐betas and the BMPs. The BMPs can be divided into subgroups with BMP‐2 and BMP‐4 being 92% identical, and BMP‐5, BMP‐6, and BMP‐7 being an average of about 90% identical. To examine the individual activities of these molecules, we are producing each BMP in a mammalian expression system. In this system, each BMP is synthesized as a precursor peptide, which is glycosylated, processed to the mature peptide, and secreted as a homodimer. These reagents have been used to demonstrate that single molecules, such as BMP‐2, are capable of inducing the formation of new cartilage and bone when implanted ectopically in a rodent assay system. Whether each of the BMPs possesses the same inductive activities in an animal is the subject of ongoing research. Based on the chondrogenic and osteogenic abilities of the BMPs in the adult animal, the expression of the mRNAs for the BMPs has been examined in the development of the embryonic skeleton by in situ hybridization. These studies demonstrate that the BMP mRNAs are spatially and temporally expressed appropriately for the proteins involved in the induction and development of cartilage and bone in the embryonic limb bud. Furthermore, primary preparations of limb bud cells respond to BMP‐2, as do several cell lines of the osteoblastic lineage. In addition to expression in the skeletal system, various of the BMP mRNAs are expressed in distinct tissues, suggesting additional roles during development. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.