Osteocalcin or bone Gla protein (B.G.P) is the major non-collagen protein of the bone matrix. It has a molecular weight of 5800 Da and contains 49 amino-acids, including 3 residues of gamma carboxyl glutamic acid. Osteocalcin is synthesized in the bone by the osteoblasts. After production, it is partly incorporated in the bone matrix and the rest is found in the blood circulation. The exact physiological function of osteocalcin is still unclear. A large number of studies show that the circulating levels of osteocalcin reflect the rate of bone formation. The determination of the blood levels of osteocalcin is valuable for : - The identification of women at risk of developing osteoporosis - Monitoring bone metabolism during the perimenopause and postmenopause - Monitoring bone metabolism during hormone replacement therapy and treatment of premenopausal women with LH-RH agonists - Monitoring bone metabolism in patients with growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, chronic renal failure.
- References to Osteocalcin (OST, bone Gla protein, B.G.P)