Overview The growth of bones involves complex interactions between skeletal cells, their extracellular matrices, the vascular system and mechanical forces. In addition, a multitude of hormonal, physiological and biochemical factors regulate the commitment, proliferation and differentiation of bone and cartilage cells during development and remodelling. Defects in any one of these processes lead to skeletal abnormalities or diseases. Dr. Roach is interested in all these aspects of bone and cartilage development and basic cell biology.
Techniques used include organ and chorio-allantoic membrane cultures of bone and cartilage tissues.
All viable cells of the 'osteo arthritic' clones have synthesized the metallo proteinase MMP-9. With respect to chondrocytes, our studies have indicated that the mechanism of programmed cell death is different from classical apoptosis. Key papers have been published . We have established a breeding colony at Southampton and a PhD student, Mr. Rahul Tare, started in Oct '99 to define, at the cellular and molecular level, how osf-1 determines bone mass. Int . 66, Suppl.