A osteoporose é considerada um dos problemas de saúde mais comuns e sérios da população idosa mundial. É uma doença crônica e progressiva, caracterizada pela diminuição da massa óssea e deterioração da microarquitetura do tecido ósseo. A terapia gênica representa uma nova abordagem para o tratamento da osteoporose e tem como princípio devolver a função comprometida pelo metabolismo. Esta revisão visa focar os trabalhos relevantes desenvolvidos nos últimos anos, disponibilizados nas bases de dados médicas, e que utilizaram a terapia gênica para o tratamento da osteoporose em modelos animais, bem como, as perspectivas futuras desta terapia. A maioria dos estudos utiliza os genes BMPs, PTH e OPG na tentativa de restabelecer a massa óssea. Apesar da carência de novas moléculas, todos os genes empregados nos estudos se mostraram eficientes no tratamento da doença. Os benefícios que a terapia gênica proporcionará aos pacientes no futuro devem contribuir substancialmente para o aumento na qualidade de vida dos idosos. Em breve, protocolos clínicos envolvendo humanos irão beneficiar os indivíduos com osteoporose.

Osteoporosis is considered one of the most common and serious problems affecting the elderly population worldwide. It is a chronic and progressive disease, characterized by decreased bone mass and degeneration of the microarchitecture of the bone tissue. Gene therapy represents a new approach in osteoporosis treatment, and its main function is to restore the compromised function in the metabolism. This review aims to elucidate the main studies on gene therapy in recent years, in the medical databases, that use gene therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis in animal models, as well as the future prospects of this therapy. The majority of the studies use the BMP, PTH and OPG genes, in an attempt to reestablish bone mass. Despite the lack of new molecules, all genes employed in these studies have proven to be efficient in the treatment of the disease. The benefits that gene therapy will provide for patients in the future should contribute substantially to increasing the quality of life for the elderly. Soon, clinical trials involving humans will benefit individuals with osteoporosis.

The present paper reports the presence of glandular structures in legs of some stingless bee species. The glands appear as: the epidermis transformation in a glandular epithelium as in basitarsus, an epithelial sac inside the segment as in the femur of queens or in the last tarsomere, as round glandular cells, scattered or forming groupments. The saculiform gland of femur is present only in queens, the other glands are present in males, queens and workers of the studied species, apparently without any type of polymorphism. This occurrence seems indicate that the function of these glands have not to do with the sociality or specific behavior of castes.