For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

The MicroVue OPG assay is an enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative measurement of total osteoprotegerin in plasma, serum, or other experimental sample types.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) or osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OCIF) is a secretory glycoprotein belonging to the TNF super family. OPG consists of 401 amino acid residues; it has a molecular weight of 60 kDa as a monomer and 120 kDa as a disulfide-linked dimer and is produced in a wide range of tissues, e.g. bone, skin, liver, stomach, intestine, and lung. Osteoprotegerin inhibits the binding of RANK to RANKL (TRANCE, osteoprotegerin ligand, OPGL, osteoclast differentiation factor, ODF), thus inhibiting the recruitment, proliferation and activation of osteoclasts. Since OPG exhibits an inhibitory effect on osteoclasts, it acts as a soluble factor in the regulation of bone mass. Osteoclast formation activity may be the cause of bone loss in many imbalances in bone metabolism such as osteoporosis, osteopetrosis, hypercalcemia, metastatic osteolytic lesions and rheumatic bone degradation.

References

Furuya, D., Kaneko, R., Yagihashi, A., Endoh, T., Yajima, R., Kobayashi, D., Yano, K., Tsuda, E. and Watanabe, N. Immuno-PCR Assay for Homodimeric Osteoprotegerin. Clinical Chemistry 47:1475-1477, 2001.

Lipton, A., Ali, S.M., Leitzel, K., Chinchilli, V., Witters, L., Engle, L., Holloway, D., Bekker, P. and Dunstan, C.R. Serum Osteoprotegerin Levels in Healthy Controls and Cancer Patients. Clinical Cancer Research 8:2306-2310, 2002.

Martin, J.T. Manipulating the environment of cancer cells in bone: a novel therapeutic approach. (Commentary). J Clinc Invest 110:1399-1401, 2002.

Inzucchi, A.E. Management of hypercalcemia, Diagnostic workup, therapeutic options for hyperparathyroidism and other common causes. Postgraduate Medicine online 115, 2004.