[Clinical symptoms and pathophysiology of osteophyte formation and ankylosis].

The interdisciplinary combined project ANCYLOSS is investigating in six subprojects molecular factors which play an essential role in the formation of osteophytes. These bony projections are designed to counteract bone degeneration but, however, in certain rheumatic diseases lead to an excessive reaction with uncontrolled bone spur formation. It could be shown that low levels of Dickkopf-1 protein, which is stimulated by TNF-α, promote the formation of bone spurs.