[The pathophysiology of osteoporosis/osteopenia in gene mutant mice].

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and the microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue. The pathophysiology of osteoporosis is complex, involving a broad spectrum of endogenous and environmental factors. Recently, molecular and genetic approaches are revealing that genetic backgrounds are important for the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. We discuss about recent findings of osteoporosis and osteopenia caused by monogenic mutations in humans and mice.