Discovery and development of BMPs

In the early 1970s, the isolation and identification of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) was a major breakthrough for the understanding of the distinct biological events occurring during bone formation. Not surprising, since their discovery, BMPs have been perhaps one of the most intensively studied group of factors in various physiological processes. The prompt development of recombinant BMPs and various delivery methods made BMPs currently available for clinical use. Research and clinical studies on BMPs are ongoing, aiming to refine further our understanding of their activities in vivo and to optimise and expand their clinical use in humans. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.