Orthopedics | Featured Specialties | UC Davis Health

UC Davis Health orthopedic and rheumatology researchers discovered that a protein called Basigin plays a critical role in bone deterioration during long-term steroid use. By blocking the protein in skeletal stem cells, they were able to prevent and restore bone strength in mice, even under glucocorticoid exposure. The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest a potential path for treating conditions like age-related osteoporosis and protecting bone health during steroid therapy.

After years of illness and injury, Michael McGrath, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, turned to UC Davis Health for a life-changing hip replacement. On the day of his complex hip replacement, performed by orthopaedic surgeon Adam Taylor, M.D., McGrath stood and walked upright for the first time since 2023.

Researchers at UC Davis Health and UC San Francisco have identified a molecule known as Maternal Brain Hormone (CCN3) that increases bone density and strength. Their study, published in Nature, explains how women’s bones remain strong during breastfeeding, despite calcium being stripped from bones to support milk production. The discovery has the potential to treat bone conditions like osteoporosis.