Incretins and bone: friend or foe?

• Incretins are involved in the control of bone mass and bone quality.
• The GIP/GIPr pathway is essential to gain normal bone mineralization and collagen maturity.
• The GLP-1/GLP-1r pathway is essential for collagen maturity but not bone mineralization.

To adapt to its various functions, the bone tissue is remodeled permanently and is under the influence of hormonal, local, mechanical and nervous signals. Among them, a role for gut hormones in controlling bone mass and quality has emerged in the recent years. The aim of this review is to provide the reader with a summary of recent developments in the interaction between incretin hormones and bone physiology.