| Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway responsible for the degradation and recycling of cellular components such as unnecessary organelles and proteins, also for destroying intracellular pathogens. Autophagy plays an important role in maintaining the metabolic balance of the body, and it can regulate cell growth and differentiation. Osteoblasts are the main functional cells of bone formation and are mainly responsible for the synthesis, secretion, and mineralization of bone matrix. Osteogenic activity or abnormal function can lead to osteoporosis, femoral head necrosis, delayed fracture healing, and other diseases. Recent studies have shown that autophagy plays a key role in maintaining the dynamic balance of the bone. During the process of differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and the intervention of drugs such as dexamethasone and bisphosphonates, autophagy shows different levels and leads to the change of the activity, proliferation, differentiation and function of osteoblasts which impact the bone formation and bone remodeling. In addition, in bone diseases such as osteoporosis and delayed fracture healing, autophagy can also influence the progression of disease by regulating the functional activity of osteoblasts. Therefore, this paper summarizes the related domestic and foreign literature reports about autophagy and osteoblasts, aiming to elucidate the regulation of autophagy on osteoblasts. |