Determinants of Bone Health: From Molecular Mechanisms to Cellular Dynamics in Pathology

Bone health is maintained through the coordinated interplay of molecular, cellular, and environmental factors. Disruptions in any of these processes can lead to a wide spectrum of skeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteopetrosis, Paget’s disease, and metastatic bone lesions. At the molecular level, signaling pathways play a central role in regulating bone remodeling, while biomechanical and microenvironmental cues further influence skeletal integrity. Mechanical loading modulates osteocyte-mediated signaling, which in turn coordinates osteoblast and osteoclast activity, and impaired vascularization can limit nutrient and oxygen supply, reducing remodeling efficiency.

The precise balance among osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes is essential for maintaining bone homeostasis. Osteoblast dysfunction compromises matrix deposition and mineralization, whereas hyperactive osteoclasts accelerate bone resorption. These molecular and cellular determinants, together with biomechanical and environmental factors, define overall bone strength and susceptibility to disease. Understanding these interconnected mechanisms is therefore critical for identifying reliable biomarkers and developing effective therapeutic strategies.

This Research Topic invites contributions that examine molecular pathways, cellular crosstalk, biomechanical and metabolic influences, and translational approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of skeletal disorders. Studies employing advanced imaging, single-cell transcriptomics, and in vitro disease models are particularly encouraged to uncover novel insights into skeletal health and pathology.

We welcome Original Research Articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Perspectives, Commentaries, Data Notes, and Technical Notes, including but not limited to:
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms driving bone pathology
• Dysregulated osteoblast, osteoclast, and osteocyte interactions in disease
• Inflammatory, metabolic, and hormonal contributors to skeletal disorders
• Impact of mechanical loading, hormones, and oxidative stress
• Emerging biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for bone diseases
• Translational approaches for diagnosis and therapy in pathological bone conditions

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Bone Remodeling, Osteoblast-Osteoclast Crosstalk, Osteoporosis Pathophysiology, Skeletal Disease Biomarkers

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.