Maintaining strong and healthy bones is essential for our wellbeing. Bone provides structural support and protection for our vital organs. Bone density and bone strength are key components of bone health and the most common metabolic bone disease is osteoporosis, a condition of weak and fragile bones.
Oxford Biosystems has been a supplier of products for the investigation of bone and cartilage metabolism for many years. Our products are developed and manufactured by internationally recognised manufacturers and supported by their technical expertise gained through collaboration with scientists around the world.
Bones are continuously undergoing a dynamic process of resorption and absorption known as bone metabolism which is essential for the maintenance of healthy bone mass and micro-architecture. This remodelling process is tightly regulated, involving various hormones and factors.
The bone cycle consists of different phases and markers of bone metabolism can be categorized as markers of bone formation, markers of bone resorption and markers of the regulation of bone metabolism.
These biomarkers can be measured to assess bone health or monitor treatment in several clinical conditions:
- Bone metastases
- Peri- and post-menopause
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Osteoporosis
- Vascular or other soft tissue calcification
- Depressed bone formation in multiple myeloma
Oxford BioSystems offers an extensive range of kits and reagents for both clinical investigation and research in the field of bone and cartilage metabolism.
Our range of ELISA and RIA kits includes:
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is an important risk factor for rickets, osteomalacia, senile osteoporosis, cancer and pregnancy outcomes. The measurement of both 25OH Vitamin D forms is required to determine the cause of abnormal serum calcium concentrations in patients. Vitamin D intoxication has been shown to cause kidney and tissue damages.
- 1,25(OH)2 Vitamin D
- 25OH Vitamin D, Total
The Diasource 25OH Vitamin D Total ELISA is calibrated to the ID-LC-MS/MS reference method as encompassed in the Vitamin D Standardisation Program initiative. It has been awarded the Certificate of Proficiency by the Vitamin D External Quality Assessment Scheme (DEQAS) Advisory Panel.
- Free 25OH Vitamin D
- 25OH Vitamin D3
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Sclerostin
Sclerostin is a regulatory marker of bone turnover. It is a 22.5 kDa secreted glycoprotein that is a potent inhibitor of Wnt signalling. It acts by binding to the Wnt-coreceptor LRP5/6 thus inhibiting bone formation by regulating osteoblast function and promoting osteoblast apoptosis.
The new Biomedica ELISA kit for Bioactive Sclerostin is now available.
Periostin
Periostin is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer and the differentiation of mesenchyme in the developing heart. Periostin has functions in osteology, tissue repair, oncology, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and in various inflammatory settings.
Osteoprotegerin (OPG)
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) or osteoclast inhibitory factor (OCIF) is a glycoprotein of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily encoded by the TNFRSF11B gene. OPG is produced by many tissues and cell types including osteoblasts, breast tissue, vascular endothelial cells as well as B cells and dendritic cells in the immune system.
Free sRANKL
RANKL, the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand, a member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family, is the main stimulatory factor for the formation of mature osteoclasts and is essential for their survival. RANKL activates its specific receptor RANK, located on osteoclasts and dendritic cells.
Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1)
DKK-1 is a 25.8 kDa secreted protein functioning as antagonist of the canonical Wnt signalling pathway. DKK-1 is a biomarker of cancer progression and prognosis as well as potential therapeutic target in various types of malignancies. It is associated with the formation of bone metastasis and osteolytic bone lesions.
Soluble Semaphorin 4D
Semaphorin 4D is involved in cell-cell communication and is widely studied for its role in neural connectivity, vascularisation, cell migration, immune responses, tumour progression, and bone remodelling.
FGF23 (Intact and C-Terminal kits)
FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family and controls phosphate and vitamin D homeostasis. The main source of FGF23 is osteocytes in the bone and it is present in the circulation as hormonally intact FGF23 and inactive N-terminal and C-terminal fragments.
PINP (aminoterminal propeptide of type I procollagen)
Intact PINP is liberated into the blood stream during the formation of new bone. The concentration of PINP is directly related to the rate of bone turnover. Measuring the level of PINP is helpful in the identification of patients at high risk of fracture, and in monitoring the effectiveness of osteoporosis treatment. It is a dynamic marker showing the rate of bone turnover.
ICTP (carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen)
Carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen is a crosslinked product of collagen degradation and is released from bone when it is being degraded under pathological conditions. It is measured to help in the early detection of skeletal bone metastases in breast, lung, and prostate cancers, and for the detection of minor changes in bone turnover much earlier than seen in a bone scan.
PIIINP (aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen)
Intact PIIINP is liberated into the circulation during soft tissue formation. Measuring serum levels of PIIINP is useful in monitoring fibrosis, monitoring methotrexate treated psoriatics, and can be used as a prognostic marker in cardiac failure.
Osteocalcin
Osteocalcin is synthesised in the bone by osteoblasts and is the major non-collagen protein of the bone matrix. Measurement of osteocalcin in the circulation can aid in monitoring bone metabolism.
Soluble α-Klotho
α KLOTHO is expressed in kidney, small intestine, placenta and prostate and the soluble peptide can be found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. It may play a role in the calcium/ phosphorus homeostasis regulation by e.g. inhibiting active vitamin D synthesis, and is known as an anti-aging hormone by extending life span by inhibiting the insulin/ IGF1 signalling pathway. KLOTHO is a co receptor of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF 23) and is of interest in the investigation of chronic kidney disease and failure, renal and hepatocellular carcinomas, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
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