Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, including bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts. The invention thus provides a method, comprising contacting a compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No: 194-309; and measuring a compound-polypeptide property related to the differentiation of said cells. The invention further relates to a bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical composition, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the in vitro production of bone tissue.