In bone development and regeneration, angiogenesis and bone/cartilage resorption are essential processes and are closely associated with each other, suggesting a common mediator for these two biological events. To address this interrelationship, we examined the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the most critical growth factor for angiogenesis, on osteoclastic bone-resorbing activity in a culture of highly purified rabbit mature osteoclasts. VEGF caused a dose-and time-dependent increase in the area of bone resorption pits excavated by the isolated osteoclasts, partially by enhancing the survival of the cells. Two distinct VEGF receptors, KDR/Flk-1 and Flt-1, were detectable in osteoclasts at the gene and protein levels, and VEGF induced tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in osteoclasts. Thus, osteoclastic function and angiogenesis are upregulated by a common mediator such as VEGF.z 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between frontal craniofacial morphology and the distribution of occlusal force in orthodontic patients with and without TMD. Experimental data were obtained from 45 female orthodontic patients (TMD-free group: 22 subjects; TMD group: 23 subjects) using the pressure-sensitive sheet. The following results were obtained: (1) There were significant differences in the gonial angle width and the mandibular deviation of the postero-anterior cephalogram between the two groups. (2) There were significant differences in occlusal force, occlusal contact area and average occlusal pressure between the two groups. (3) On the relation between the frontal craniofacial morphology and the occlusal data, the asymmetry indices of occlusal force and occlusal contact area showed significant positive correlations to the mandibular deviation and the ratios of maxillary and gonial angle widths in the TMD group. The TMD-free group showed the smaller mandibular deviation and the smaller asymmetry indices of occlusal force and occlusal contact area than those in the TMD group. It could be concluded that orthodontic patients with TMD may have not only the morphological disharmony but also the imbalance of occlusal force.