A team of scientists has made a new scientific discovery indicating that a protein produced by the liver plays an important role in… Maintain bone strength In men. The results of this study were published in a scientific report reported by the Наука Mail platform.
The research was led by scientists from McGill University in Canada, who found that some enzymes and proteins secreted by the liver participate in regulating the bone formation process in men, while the same relationship did not appear in women.
Scientific experiment on mice
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To reach these results, the researchers conducted a laboratory experiment on mice. During the experiment, they disabled the gene responsible for producing a protein known as fibronectin in the liver.
The results showed the following:
The bones of male mice became more brittle and weak after the gene was inactivated.
No obvious changes were observed in the female bones.
These findings suggest that the protein fibronectin produced by the liver may be an important factor in maintaining bone strength in males.
The relationship between fibronectin and osteoporosis (Image source: Wikipedia)
What is fibronectin protein?
Fibronectin is a protein found in the blood that participates in several vital processes within the body, including building various tissues.
Regarding bones, this protein accumulates within bone tissue and contributes to the process of bone formation and strengthening.
Studies have also shown that the level of fibronectin in the blood in men is higher than in women, which may explain the difference in its effect between the sexes.
Liver disease may affect bone strength
The study results suggest that liver damage may lead to a low level of fibronectin in the blood, which may weaken bones over time.
This finding may help explain why doctors notice lower bone density in some men with liver disease.
Osteoporosis in men
Medical statistics indicate that about 60% of osteoporosis cases in men are related to the presence of other diseases in the body.
Unlike women, where the disease is often associated with a decline in estrogen after menopause, the exact causes of bone mass loss in men after the age of fifty are still not fully understood.
This new scientific discovery may help clarify part of this mechanism.
Osteoporosis is a widespread disease
Osteoporosis is one of the common health problems worldwide. Estimates indicate that:
About a third of women
And one in every five men
During their lives, they may be exposed to bone fractures as a result of infection with this disease.
Recent research indicates that osteoporosis is not just a disease that affects the bones only, but rather is a complex health condition that can be affected by the functions of other organs in the body, such as the liver.
