A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine shows preosteoclasts, an overlooked group of cells, is crucial to bone disorders like osteoporosis.

Xu Cao, one of the researchers, said that they aren't aware that drugs used to these disorders affects preostoclasts.

He admitted that they are also not aware of the importance of preosteoclasts in maintaining healthy bones.

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For this study, Cao and his colleagues studied mice with bone disorders that were similar to women who has undergone menopause.

Researchers did this because by the time a woman has entered menopause, her estrogen level decreases and that lead to that causes bone resorption that overcomes bone rebuilding.

Cao noted that most of the osteoporosis drugs that were sold only slow down bone resorption and does not rebuild bones.

To test their findings, they created genetically engineered mice that have no bone-dissolving osteoclasts or preostoclasts.

It resulted to mice with abnormal inner bones with thin outside layers, and caused a scarce supply of blood vessels that needed to transport bone building supplies.

This proved that osteoclasts and preoteoclasts regulate bone building and resorption, they added.

Researchers also found out that preosteoclasts secrete PDGF-BB, a protein that attacks bone-building cells and specialized blood vessels.

They also noted that the bones of the mice weakened when they prevented prosteoclasts to make PDGF-BB.

Cao said before preostoclasts call blood vessels into an area before bone building cells begin to make new bones.

He noted that with their findings,drug companies hoping to reverse osteoporosis can look for more drugs that use and target preostoclasts.