Enhanced expression of type I receptors for bone morphogenetic proteins during bone formation

Type I receptors for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), i.e., BMPR‐IA and BMPR‐IB, are transmembrane serine/threonine kinases, that bind osteogenic protein‐1 (OP‐1, also termed BMP‐7) and BMP‐4. Using antibodies specific to BMPR‐IA and ‐IB, we have studied the expression of BMP type I receptors in the bone formation process during embryonic development and fracture healing. In the mouse embryo, both BMPR‐IA and ‐IB were expressed in condensing mesenchymal cells at 13.5 days post coitum (p.c.). At 15.5 days p.c., expression of BMPR‐IB, but not of BMPR‐IA, was observed in the cells in perichondrium of developing cartilage. At 17.5 and 19.5 days p.c., expression of both receptors was observed in chondrocytes and in osteoblasts. In normal rat adult bone, expression of BMPR‐IA, but not of BMPR‐IB, was observed in osteoblasts in the periosteum. Three days after the femoral fracture, expression of BMPR‐IA and ‐IB was up‐regulated in cells at the proliferating osteogenic layer of the periosteum. On day 7, both receptors were found in fibroblast‐like spindle cells and chondrocytes in the endochondral ossification sites, and osteoblasts in the newly formed trabecular bone. Expression of BMPR‐IA was higher than that of BMPR‐IB in osteogenic layer on day 3 and in osteoblasts in the trabecular bone on day 7. On day 14, expression of BMP type I receptors was observed at similar sites, albeit with lower expression levels than were observed on day 7. The present data suggest that expression of BMP type I receptors is up‐regulated during bone formation, and that they may play important roles in bone morphogenesis.