"Mitochondria Regrow Bones"... Professor Yunsil Lee Reveals Hidden Role

For the first time in the world, a Korean research team has discovered that mitochondria within bone-forming cells promote the regeneration of damaged bone. This finding raises the possibility of developing a new bone disease treatment strategy that goes beyond merely slowing bone loss to actually regenerating damaged bone itself.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea announced on May 6 that they had selected Yunsil Lee, Professor at Seoul National University School of Dentistry, as the recipient of the May Korean Scientist and Engineer Award in recognition of these research achievements.

Professor Yunsil Lee, Graduate School of Dentistry, Seoul National University. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

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The Korean Scientist and Engineer Award is presented monthly to a researcher who has contributed to the advancement of science and technology through original research achievements over the past three years. Starting this year, the Ministry of Science and ICT has renamed the previous "Scientist and Engineer of the Month Award" to the "Korean Scientist and Engineer Award."

With the rapid increase in patients with osteoporosis, osteopenia, and bone fractures due to the aging population, most existing treatments have focused on inhibiting bone destruction. The need for drug discontinuation periods due to concerns about side effects from long-term use has also been highlighted as a limitation.

The research team led by Professor Yunsil Lee focused on a new approach that directly regenerates damaged bone, overcoming these limitations. The team discovered that mitochondria within osteoblasts play a key role in promoting bone formation.

In particular, the team developed, for the first time in the world, a genetically modified mouse in which only the mitochondria of osteoblasts emit green fluorescence. Using this model, they were able to observe in real time that, upon osteoblast activation, the mitochondria transform into a donut shape, fragment into small vesicles, and are then secreted outside the cell.

The research team also confirmed that when mitochondria secreted by osteoblasts were transplanted into sites of bone damage, differentiation of bone precursor cells was promoted and the rate of bone regeneration increased.

Schematic of a genetically modified mouse with only the mitochondria in osteoblasts glowing green. Using this, the research team developed a technique to selectively isolate osteoblasts from bone tissue, and for the first time worldwide, confirmed that mitochondria transform into a donut shape during osteoblast activation, fragmenting and being secreted outside the cell. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

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This demonstrates that mitochondria are not merely organelles for generating energy within cells, but also play a role in intercellular signaling and inducing tissue regeneration.

The team also developed a technology to precisely isolate only osteoblasts, thereby increasing the precision and reproducibility of bone regeneration research. A total of six patents for related technologies have been registered in Korea and the United States, with eleven additional applications filed.

This research was featured as the cover article in the February 2023 issue of Cell Metabolism, an international journal in the field of metabolic biology. Since then, Professor Lee has continued related research by contributing to an international consensus report on mitochondrial research directions published in Nature Metabolism.

Professor Lee stated, "Our goal is to usher in an era in which treatments that restore damaged tissue itself, rather than simply slowing disease progression, become commonplace."

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