Clip2 as a novel regulator of osteocyte maturation and morphology

The genes driving osteocyte maturation and function are not fully understood. We identified CD61 (integrin beta-3) as a marker of osteocyte maturation and developed a flow cytometry-based assay to quantify surface CD61 protein levels. Surface CD61 expression increases during osteocyte maturation, and CD61-high cells express higher levels of osteocyte marker genes. In a genome-wide screen, we identified Clip2, which encodes a microtubule binding protein, as one of dozens of genes necessary for CD61 expression.