Nel-like type 1 molecule(NELL-1), a novel growth factor which is found to be overexpressed during premature cranial suture closure in patients with craniosynostosis, is highly specific to the osteochondral lineage and has been recognized to have osteoinductive and anti-adipogenic properties. Moreover NELL-1 has demonstrated robust induction of bone in mutiple in vivo models from rodents to pre-clinical large animals. NELL-1 can promote otrhotopic bone regeneration via either intramembranous or endochondral osssification, both within and outside of the craniofacial complex. Unlike bone morphogenetic protein-2, NELL-1 can not initiate ectopic bone formation in mouse muscle, but can induce bone marrow stromal cells to form bone in a mouse muscle pouch model, exhibiting specifictity the bone morphogenetic proteins lack. NELL-1’s unique role as a novel osteoinductive growth factor makes it an attractive alternative with promise for future clinical applications.
