The thesis is divided in to five chapters. Chapter I: Synthesis of New thiolevomannosan derivatives In this chapter, a general and efficient method for the synthesis of conformationally locked thiosugars has been discussed. An unprecedented synthesis of a novel thioorthoester and its synthetic utility in glycosylation has been demonstrated. Chapter II: Studies on -Mannosidase Inhibitors The synthesis and evaluation of novel, conformationally locked glycomimic, thiolevomannosan and its analogs sulfoxide and sulfone starting from readily available D-mannose is discussed in this chapter. This is the first report of thiosugar derivatives with enhanced potency compared to kifunensine. Docking and biochemical studies have been discussed. Chapter III: Studies on Novel Cyclic Tetraselenides of Mannose In this chapter, the syntheses and structural properties of novel cyclic tetraselenides starting from mannose have been discussed. These tetraselenides are the first of their kind where all four selenium atoms are arranged in a cyclic manner as the backbone of mannose. X-ray structures have been reported for the tetraselenides. Chapter IV: Novel Chalcogenides of Uridine and Thymidine: Synthesis and Applications An efficient and simple method to synthesise disulfides and diselenides of thymidine and uridine derivatives has been demonstrated in this chapter. The utility of these disulfides in various ring opening reactions as well in Michael addition reactions has been demonstrated. Chapter V: Studies on New, Potent Urease Inhibitors In this chapter, a facile one-pot synthesis of thio and selenourea derivatives under mild conditions by the reaction of amines and commercially available Viehe’s iminium salt in the presence of benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate as sulfur transfer reagent and tetraethylammonium tetraselenotungstate as selenium transfer reagent has been discussed. A few of the urea derivatives have shown potent inhibitor activity in the nanomolar range for jackbean urease.

Le facteur de transcription Nrf2 et les enzymes pro-angiogéniques: hème oxygénase (HO-1) et thymidine phosphorylase (TP) sont considérés comme des cibles potentielles pour les traitements combinatoires anticancéreux contre l’angiogenèse. L'objectif de la présente étude était d'examiner les interactions entre ces protéines dans la modulation du potentiel tumorigène et angiogénique de carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules (NSCLC). L’augmentation de l’expression de Nrf2 conduit à la réduction de la prolifération cellulaire et à leur capacité de migration, accompagnée d'une expression accrue de microARN suppresseurs de tumeurs ainsi qu’une réduction de l'oncogène miR-378. Ensuite, le rôle de TP dans les cellules NCI-H292 a été étudiée en la surexprimant in vitro (NCI-TP). Ceci a conduit à une atténuation de potentiel tumorigène comme le montre l'inhibition de la prolifération, de la migration et une amélioration concomitante de potentiel angiogénique qui est plus prononcée en hypoxie et en présence de thymidine. In vivo, les tumeurs NCI-TP ont tendance à croître plus rapidement que les témoins et ils sont également mieux oxygénés. Ces tumeurs ont une expression accrue de cytokines pro-inflammatoires IL-1β et IL-6. Nous avons montré pour la première fois que l’enzyme TP peut être régulé par Nrf2 et HO-1 dans les cellules NSCLC, ce qui peut affecter la croissance tumorale par une modulation de l'angiogenèse et de l'expression de facteurs pro-inflammatoires. La corrélation entre l’expression de TP avec celle de l'IL-1β et d'IL-6 a été également confirmée dans les échantillons cliniques de tumeurs issus de patients atteints de NSCLC. L’ensemble de nos résultats montre la potentialité de cibler l’enzyme TP pour le traitement des cancers NSCLC. / Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) are considered as potential targets for combinatorial anti-cancer therapies. The aim of the study was to investigate the interplay of these proteins in regulation of growth and angiogenesis in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells NCI-H292. Stable overexpression of Nrf2 (NCI-Nrf2 cell line) resulted in decreased cell proliferation and migration in vitro, upregulation of tumor suppressor microRNAs and downregulation of oncogenic miR-378 and many MMPs. Silencing of HO-1 in NCI-Nrf2 cells partially reversed the effect on MMP-1, MMP-3 and miR-378. NCI-Nrf2 cells exhibited increased expression of proangiogenic factors IL-8, angiopoietin-1 and TP, which was also upregulated in cell overexpressing HO-1. In both models, the effect was TP reversible by siRNA targeted at HO-1 and possibly mediated by modulation of oxidative status of the cell. Moreover, it was observed that overexpression of TP in vitro attenuated proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells, but increased their angiogenic potential. In vivo, NCI-TP tumors tended to grow faster, were better oxygenated and exhibited increased expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. Correlation of TP with IL-1β and IL-6 was also confirmed in clinical samples from NSCLC patients. Overall, our results enforce the notion of targeting TP for treatment of NSCLC.

La méthylation de l’uridine sur son carbone 5 est apparue au cours de l’évolution sous plusieurs formes. Tout d’abord, les thymidylate synthases permettent la synthèse de novo du dTMP, un précurseur essentiel de l’ADN des trois règnes du vivant. Deux familles de thymidylate synthases sont connues à ce jour : ThyA et la flavo-enzyme ThyX, codées par des gènes hétérologues et ayant des structures et mécanismes réactionnels radicalement différents. En outre, cette méthylation de l’uridine est apparue (probablement plus tard) sous forme de modifications post-transcriptionnelles des ARNt et ARNr. Cette thèse vise à questionner les contraintes évolutives ayant menés indépendament à ces quatres types de méthylation de l’uridine.Une première partie décrit l’identification d’une voie métabolique permetant la complémentation du phénotype d’auxotrophie pour la thymidine par des analogues nucléotidiques chez Escherichia coli. Une approche de biologie synthétique en vue d’établir une voie alternative de biosynthèse du thymidylate a aussi été mise en œuvre. Une technique de sélection de gènes de complémentation du phénotype d’auxotrophie pour la thymidine, issus de mutagénèse aléatoire, a pu être développée. Dans une seconde partie, des études biochimiques et sppectroscopiques ont été réalisées sur la méthyle-transférase flavine-dépendante TrmFO, responsable de la méthylation post-transciptionnelle de l’uridine 54 des ARNt de certains microorganismes.L’implication de certains résidus dans la fixation du substrat a pu être déterminée d’une part, et certains intermédiaires réactionnels potentiels ont été caractérisés spectralement d’autre part. Ces dernières observations s’appuient, en outre, sur des études en cours de spectroscopie résolue en temps et des simulations de dynamique moléculaire afin de mieux comprendre les flavoprotéines en général et les méthyle transférases flavine-dépendantes en particulier. / Enzymes catalyzing the methylation of uridine at its carbon 5 position have appeared independently in different forms across evolution. Thymidylate synthases ThyA and the flavoprotein ThyX catalyze the de novo synthesis of dTMP, an essential DNA precursor in the three domains of life. They are encoded by heterologous genes and have drastically different structures and reaction mechanisms. On the other hand, this uridine methylation is also performed by tRNA and rRNA post-transcriptional modification enzymes.This thesis assesses the question of the evolutionary constraints that have led independently to four kinds of uridine methylation. The first part describes the identification of a metabolic pathway allowing the complementation of thymidine auxotrophy by non-natural nucleotide analogs in Escherichia coli. A synthetic biology approach, aiming to establish an alternative pathway for thymidylate biosynthesis, was also implemented and a selection strategy for thymidine auxotrophy-complementing genes, could be developed.In a second part, biochemical and spectral studies where realised on the flavin-dependent methyltransferase TrmFO, responsible for the post-transcriptional methylation of uridine at the invariant position 54 of tRNA in several microorganisms. The involvement of specific amino acid residues in substrate fixation and in stabilization of potential reaction intermediates was demonstrated. Their spectral characterization supports previously proposed reaction schemes for flavin-dependent thymidylate forming enzymes. These observations are currently being pursued by parallel approaches combining time-resolved spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, aiming to further our understanding of how flavin mediates the transfer of carbon molecules from folate to uracil rings.

Thymidine oligomers were chemically synthesised and linked to available amino functions of transferrin in alternative orientations: (a) A CMP residue attached to the 3' end of (pT)₁₀ with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase was oxidised with NaI0 and linked to transferrin via a Schiff base formation. (b) The 5' terminal phosphate group of (pT)₅ was activated with imidazole and reacted with transferrin to form a phosphoramide bond. The (pT)₅ thus attached to the protein was elongated to (pT)₃₀₀ using terminal deoxnucleotidyl transferase and TTP. The latter conjugate was capable of hybridising poly(A) tailed linear PBR322 DNA. The binding of this hybridisation complex to the transferrin receptor on various cell types was investigated. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1986.

Folic acid is an essential vitamin utilized in the one-carbon metabolism pathway for the synthesis of purine and thymidine nucleotides, which are necessary for cell growth and proliferation. As a result, the enzymes that participate in the metabolism of folic acid have been good targets for cancer chemotherapy. Folylpoly-γ-glutamate synthetase (FPGS) is an enzyme in the folate metabolism pathway that catalyzes the addition of glutamic acid to the naturally occurring folates, thereby allowing the retention of folate cofactors in cells. Similarly, in the case of cancer chemotherapy, antifolates, such as Lometrexol and Tomudex are retained in cells through the activity of FPGS. Consequently, any single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that exist in the fpgs gene may decrease or increase the cytotoxicity of antifolates and, ultimately, the clinical response rate to antifolate therapy. The goal of this project is to define the position and frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mRNA made from the fpgs gene from peripheral blood of one hundred normal individuals. Six Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) primers were designed to amplify the gene as three overlapping pieces and four primers were designed for sequencing of the three PCR products. In this study, we found polymorphic sites at nucleotides 64, 123, 253, 423, 1334 and 1781. The majority of the samples (49/88) expressed rnRNA with point mutations on at least one allele at base 64, while 8 samples had a SNP at base 123. At nucleotide 123, 6 samples expressed the heterozygote GIA genotype, and one sample expressed the homozygote A/A allele at this site. At nucleotide 423, two samples expressed a G allele and also the common C allele. While the SNPs at nucleotide 64, 123, and 423 caused a silent or conservative mutation in the gene, in sample 82, a mutation C253T produced an amino acid change from an arginine to tryptophan, which may cause a functional change in the fpgs protein, due to the significant change in size and charge of the wild type amino acid. Similarly, sample 26 expessed a homozygote T/T allele at nucleotide 1334 instead of the common C/C allele expressed in the remaining samples. This point mutation caused a valine to alanine amino acid change. We also detected a SNP that is expressed after the stop codon in sample 40.

Análogos da timidina têm sido marcados com diferentes radioisótopos devido ao seu potencial em monitorar a proliferação incontrolável de células. Considerando que o radioisótopo tecnécio-99m mantém ainda uma posição privilegiada devido às suas propriedades químicas e nucleares, este trabalho constituiu-se do desenvolvimento de uma nova técnica de marcação da timidina com o 99mTc, mediante o emprego de complexos organometálicos. Os objetivos do trabalho foram: a síntese do complexo organometálico carbonil-tecnécio-99m; marcação da timidina com este complexo precursor; avaliação da estabilidade; e avaliações radioquímicas e biológicas com animais sadios e portadores de tumor. A preparação do complexo precursor, utilizando o gás CO foi de fácil execução, assim como a marcação da timidina com este precursor, obtendo-se uma pureza radioquímica ≥ 97% e ≥ 94%, respectivamente. Sistemas cromatográficos com bons níveis de confiabilidade foram utilizados, podendo qualificar e quantificar as espécies radioquímicas. O resultado do estudo in vitro da lipofilicidade revelou que o a timidina radiomarcada é hidrofílica, com um coeficiente de partição (log P) de -1,48. O complexo precursor e a timidina radiomarcada apresentaram boa estabilidade radioquímica em até 6 h em temperatura ambiente. A estabilidade com soluções de cisteína e histidina apresentaram perdas entre oito e onze pontos percentuais para concentrações de até 300 mM. Os ensaios de biodistribuição em camundongos sadios indicaram que a timidina radiomarcada apresentou uma rápida depuração sangüínea e baixa captação nos demais órgãos, com predominância de excreção da droga pelo sistema urinário e hepatobiliar. A captação tumoral foi baixa, apresentando valores de 0,28 e 0,18 %DI/g para tumor de pulmão e mama, respectivamente. Os resultados obtidos sugerem mais investigações em outros modelos tumorais ou a modificação da estrutura da molécula orgânica que atua como ligante. / Thymidine analogs have been labeled with different radioisotopes due to their potential in monitoring the uncontrollable cell proliferation. Considering that the radioisotopes technetium-99m still keep a privileged position as a marker due to its chemical and nuclear properties, this dissertation was constituted by the developed of a new technique of labeling of thymidine analog with 99mTc, by means of the organometallic complex. The aims of this research were: synthesis of the organometallic complex technetium-99m-carbonyl, thymidine labeling with this precursor, evaluation of stability, and radiochemical e biological evaluation with healthy and tumor-bearing animals. The preparation of the organometallic precursor, using the CO gas, was easily achieved, as well as the labeling of thymidine with this precursor, resulting itself a radiochemical pureness of ≥ 97% and ≥ 94%, respectively. Chromatography systems with good levels of trustworthiness were used, ensuring the qualification and quantification of the radiochemical samples. The result of in vitro testing of lipophilicity disclosed that the radiolabeled complex is hydrophilic, with a partition coefficient (log P) of -1.48. The precursor complex and the radiolabeled have good radiochemical stability up to 6 h in room temperature. The cysteine and histidine challenge indicated losses between 8 and 11% for concentrations until 300 mM. The biodistribution assay in healthy mice revealed rapid blood clearance and low uptake by general organs with renal and hepatobiliary excretion. The tumor concentration was low with values of 0.28 and 0.18 %ID/g for lung and breast cancer, respectively. The results imply more studies in other tumor models or the modification of the structure of the organic molecule that act like ligand.

Análogos da timidina têm sido marcados com diferentes radioisótopos devido ao seu potencial em monitorar a proliferação incontrolável de células. Considerando que o radioisótopo tecnécio-99m mantém ainda uma posição privilegiada devido às suas propriedades químicas e nucleares, este trabalho constituiu-se do desenvolvimento de uma nova técnica de marcação da timidina com o 99mTc, mediante o emprego de complexos organometálicos. Os objetivos do trabalho foram: a síntese do complexo organometálico carbonil-tecnécio-99m; marcação da timidina com este complexo precursor; avaliação da estabilidade; e avaliações radioquímicas e biológicas com animais sadios e portadores de tumor. A preparação do complexo precursor, utilizando o gás CO foi de fácil execução, assim como a marcação da timidina com este precursor, obtendo-se uma pureza radioquímica ≥ 97% e ≥ 94%, respectivamente. Sistemas cromatográficos com bons níveis de confiabilidade foram utilizados, podendo qualificar e quantificar as espécies radioquímicas. O resultado do estudo in vitro da lipofilicidade revelou que o a timidina radiomarcada é hidrofílica, com um coeficiente de partição (log P) de -1,48. O complexo precursor e a timidina radiomarcada apresentaram boa estabilidade radioquímica em até 6 h em temperatura ambiente. A estabilidade com soluções de cisteína e histidina apresentaram perdas entre oito e onze pontos percentuais para concentrações de até 300 mM. Os ensaios de biodistribuição em camundongos sadios indicaram que a timidina radiomarcada apresentou uma rápida depuração sangüínea e baixa captação nos demais órgãos, com predominância de excreção da droga pelo sistema urinário e hepatobiliar. A captação tumoral foi baixa, apresentando valores de 0,28 e 0,18 %DI/g para tumor de pulmão e mama, respectivamente. Os resultados obtidos sugerem mais investigações em outros modelos tumorais ou a modificação da estrutura da molécula orgânica que atua como ligante. / Thymidine analogs have been labeled with different radioisotopes due to their potential in monitoring the uncontrollable cell proliferation. Considering that the radioisotopes technetium-99m still keep a privileged position as a marker due to its chemical and nuclear properties, this dissertation was constituted by the developed of a new technique of labeling of thymidine analog with 99mTc, by means of the organometallic complex. The aims of this research were: synthesis of the organometallic complex technetium-99m-carbonyl, thymidine labeling with this precursor, evaluation of stability, and radiochemical e biological evaluation with healthy and tumor-bearing animals. The preparation of the organometallic precursor, using the CO gas, was easily achieved, as well as the labeling of thymidine with this precursor, resulting itself a radiochemical pureness of ≥ 97% and ≥ 94%, respectively. Chromatography systems with good levels of trustworthiness were used, ensuring the qualification and quantification of the radiochemical samples. The result of in vitro testing of lipophilicity disclosed that the radiolabeled complex is hydrophilic, with a partition coefficient (log P) of -1.48. The precursor complex and the radiolabeled have good radiochemical stability up to 6 h in room temperature. The cysteine and histidine challenge indicated losses between 8 and 11% for concentrations until 300 mM. The biodistribution assay in healthy mice revealed rapid blood clearance and low uptake by general organs with renal and hepatobiliary excretion. The tumor concentration was low with values of 0.28 and 0.18 %ID/g for lung and breast cancer, respectively. The results imply more studies in other tumor models or the modification of the structure of the organic molecule that act like ligand.

The biodegradability and when functionalised biocompatibility of aliphatic polycarbonates (APCs) makes them an attractive class of materials for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering scaffolds and drug-delivery carriers. One route to accessing a wide-range of well-defined and functional APCs is the controlled ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of cyclic carbonates. In turn, these would ideally be prepared by the direct coupling of CO2 with diols to give water as the only by-product. In this way, the combination of CO2 and sugar-derived diols draws upon two natural renewable building blocks for the construction of polycarbonates that are anticipated to show good biocompatibility properties. Chapter 2 develops a simple and mild alternative to the traditional use of phosgene derivatives for the synthesis of six-membered cyclic carbonates from 1,3-diols and CO2. DFT calculations highlighted the need to lower both the CO2-insertion and ring-closing kinetic barriers to cyclic carbonate formation. Organic superbase, 1,8- diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) enabled the formation of carbonate species at 1 atm CO2 pressure whereas, the introduction of a leaving group strategy lowered the cyclisation barrier. Mechanistic considerations suggested a kinetic preference for ring- closing via a nucleophilic addition-elimination pathway rather than a SN2-like intramolecular cyclisation. Chapter 3 applies the procedure with CO2 to the preparation of a novel monomer from natural sugar, ᴅ-mannose. ROP was carried out via an organocatalytic approach and a preference for head-tail linkages in the polycarbonate backbone indicated by NMR spectroscopy and supported by DFT calculations. Chapter 4 utilises CO2 to invert the natural stereochemistry of sugars and create a thymidine-based monomer. The thermodynamic parameters of the ROP with 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) catalyst are determined and the properties of the polycarbonates investigated to include preliminary cell attachment studies. Finally, chapter 5 details the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from 2- deoxy-ᴅ-ribose and the investigation into the different ROP behaviour of the α- and β- anomers. The ability to tune the polymer properties through copolymerisation with trimethylene carbonate (TMC) is also discussed.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-24T19:22:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lidia Yileng Tay Chu Jon.pdf: 1011394 bytes, checksum: 9cfa95ca6ba9d9c4b6cb8db597101aa8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of water storage time and of a heat treatment on the cytotoxicity of soft lining denture material using the 3H-thymidine incorporation test. Sample disks (10 mm X 1 mm) of soft lining denture Dentusoft, Dentuflex, Trusoft, Ufi Gel P and of denture base acrylic resin Lucitone 550 were fabricated under aseptic conditions. Twelve specimens of each material were prepared and divided into four groups: GN: The specimens received no treatment or storage in water, G24: The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours; G48: The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 48 hours, GHW: The specimens were immersed in water at 55 °C for 10 minutes. To analyze the cytotoxic effect, three samples of each experimental group were placed in test tubes with 9 ml of DMEM's medium supplemented and incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. During this incubation period, the toxic substances were broadcast to the culture medium, forming the extracts that were used for the cytotoxicity test. The cytotoxicity of each material was analyzed quantitatively by the incorporation of radioactivity 3H - thymidine by checking the number of viable cells for the synthesis of DNA. The results of DNA synthesis were subjected to analysis of variance in a factorial two-way (material and storage time in water). Comparing the averages of cell viability with the classification of cytotoxic established by ISO 10993-5, it was found that Ufi Gel P had non-cytotoxic effect, Trusoft had slightly cytotoxic effect, Dentuflex had a moderated cytotoxic effect, all in any experimental condition. It was also observed that the Dentusoft alternated between slightly cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic effect because their average viability ranged around 75% and Lucitone 550 had non-cytotoxic effect when stored in water for 48 hours, but the others had around 50% cell viability, the slightly moderated cytotoxic effect. It is concluded that the soft lining denture based in acrylic resin had a slightly and moderated cytotoxic effect, Ufi Gel P, the silicone based soft liner, was not cytotoxic; the effect of water storage after 24 hours or 48 hours and the heat treatment did not reduce the cytotoxicity effect of soft lining denture materials. / O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar, por meio do teste quantitativo de incorporação de 3H-timidina, a citotoxicidade de materiais reembasadores resilientes em função do tempo de armazenamento em água e em função de um tratamento térmico. Doze corpos-de-prova de cada material reembasador resiliente (Dentusoft, Dentuflex, Trusoft e Ufi Gel P) e da resina termopolimerizável (Lucitone 550) foram confeccionados de forma asséptica em forma de discos e divididos em 4 grupos: GN: os corpos-de-prova não receberam nenhum tipo de tratamento ou armazenamento; G24: os corpos-de-prova foram armazenados em água destilada à 37ºC por 24 horas; G48: os corpos-de-prova foram armazenados em água destilada à 37ºC por 48 horas; GAQ: os corpos-de-prova foram imersos em água a 55°C por 10 minutos. Para a análise do efeito citotóxico, três corpos-de-prova de cada grupo experimental foram colocados dentro de tubos de ensaio com 9 mL de meio de cultura DMEM suplementado e incubados a 37ºC por 24 horas. Durante esse período, as substâncias tóxicas foram difundidas para o meio de cultura, formando os extratos que foram utilizados no teste de citotoxicidade. Esta foi analisada quantitativamente por meio da incorporação do radioisótopo 3H-timidina, verificando o número de células viáveis pela síntese de DNA. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância em esquema fatorial de dois fatores incluindo ainda um grupo controle, ao nível de 5% de significância. Confrontando-se as médias obtidas de viabilidade celular com a classificação do efeito citotóxico estabelecida pela ISO 10993-5, verificou-se que o Ufi Gel P foi considerado não-citotóxico, o Trusoft levemente citotóxico e o Dentuflex discretamente citotóxico, em qualquer condição experimental. Observou-se também que o Dentusoft alternou entre levemente citotóxico e não-citotóxico porque suas médias de viabilidade variaram em torno de 75% e o Lucitone 550 apresentou efeito não-citotóxico quando armazenado em água por 48 horas, mas as outras médias ficaram em torno de 50% de viabilidade celular, entre levemente-citotóxico e discretamente citotóxico. Concluiu-se que os reembasadores resilientes a base de resina acrílica (Trusoft e Dentuflex) foram classificados como levemente citotóxico e discretamente citotóxico, respectivamente. O condicionador de tecido (Dentusoft) alternou entre levemente citotóxico e não citotóxico e o reembasador resiliente a base de silicone (Ufi Gel P) não teve efeito citotóxico. O armazenamento em água ou o tratamento térmico não diminuiu a citotoxicidade dos reembasadores resilientes e o armazenamento em água reduziu a citotoxicidade da resina acrílica para base de prótese (Lucitone 550).

Fracture repair is a regenerative event that involves the precise coordination of a variety of cells for successful healing process. Within the microstructure hierarchy of bone repair, the predominant cells involved include the chondrocytes, osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Although the role of osteoblasts during fracture healing has been previously shown, their role during the initiation phase of endochondral fracture repair remains unclear. In order to study the role of osteoblasts during fracture repair, we used a transgenic mouse model expressing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene in early differentiating osteoblasts, which allows conditional ablation of cells in osteoblastic lineage upon treatment with the Gancicolvir drug. Results from this study suggest that not only are osteoblasts required in later stages of fracture repair as the medium for bone synthesis, and osteoclast activation during bone remodelling, but could also be required for the initiation and advancement of the endochondral ossification process.