The accumulation of irreversible advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) on long-lived proteins, and the interaction of AGEs with cellular receptors such as AGE-R3/galectin-3 and RAGE, are considered to be key events in the development of long-term complications of diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer''s disease, uremia and ageing. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and sub-cellular distribution of galectin-3, as well as its possible modulation by AGEs, in MC3T3E1 mouse calvaria-derived osteoblasts and in UMR 106 rat osteosarcoma cells. Both osteoblastic lines were cultured either with control bovine serum albumin (BSA) or with AGEs-BSA for 48 h. Cells were evaluated for galectin-3 expression by fixing and immunofluorescent microscopic analysis; or Western blot analysis of whole cell extracts, sub-cellular fractions and culture media. Both cell lines express 30 kDa (monomeric) galectin-3, although expression was about 15-fold lower in the UMR106 osteosarcoma cells. Dimeric (70 kDa) galectin-3 was additionally observed in the UMR106 cells. Immunofluorescent analysis of galectin-3 distribution showed a diffuse cytoplasmic and strong nuclear pattern in MC3T3E1 osteoblasts, and a patchy cytoplasmic pattern in UMR106 cells. Western blot analysis for both cell lines showed that galectin-3 was mainly found in the cytoplasm and in minor amounts in the microsomal fraction, while considerable amounts were secreted into the culture media. Exposure to 100–200 g/mL AGEs-BSA increased the cellular content of 30 kDa galectin-3 (20–25% for MC3T3E1 and 35–70% for UMR106 versus control BSA, p < 0.05),="" and="" decreased="" the="" culture="" media="" levels="" of="" galectin-3="" (10–20%="" for="" mc3t3e1="" and="" for="" umr106="" versus="" control="" bsa,="">p < 0.05).="" these="" results="" confirm="" the="" expression="" of="" galectin-3="" in="" osteoblastic="" cells,="" and="" suggest="" different="" levels="" and="" sub-cellular="" distribution="" of="" this="" protein="" in="" transformed="" versus="" non-transformed="" osteoblasts.="" osteoblastic="" exposure="" to="" ages="" alters="" their="" expression="" and="" secretion="" of="" galectin-3,="" which="" could="" have="" significant="" consequences="" on="" osteoblast="" metabolism="" and="" thus="" on="" bone="" turnover="" (mol="" cell="" biochem="">266: 17–24, 2004)