Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 and 7 (BMP4 and BMP7), also known as osteogenic protein 1 (OP1), belong to different BMP subgroups of the TGFβ superfamily and signal through heterodimeric complexes composed of type I and type II BMP receptors. BMP4 and BMP7 are widely expressed from early embryogenesis to adult and influence a variety of morphogenic processes. BMP pro-peptides are removed intracellularly by proteolysis, enabling mature BMPs to form active disulfide-linked homodimers or heterodimers. BMP-4/BMP-7 heterodimers exhibit increased osteogenic potency compared to either homodimer.
