Gdf11, also known as bone morphogenetic protein 11 (BMP11), is a member of the Transforming Growth Factor β superfamily. It plays crucial roles in embryogenesis, cell cycle control, apoptosis, and is involved in lipid metabolism, inflammatory processes, and aging. Gdf11 mainly targets cells with stemness features, regulating cell differentiation and maturation [1,3,5].

Selective knock-out of Gdf11 in the post-mitotic excitatory neurons (ENs) in mice shapes the brain ageing-related transcriptional profile, induces EN senescence and hyperexcitability, prunes their dendrites, impedes their synaptic input, impairs object recognition memory and shortens the lifespan, indicating its role in brain ageing and cognition [2]. Loss of Gdf11 in chondrocytes led to NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction, and Gdf11 conditional knockout in a surgically induced mouse model reversed the alleviating effect of intra-articular administration of recombinant human Gdf11 on osteoarthritis pathogenesis, suggesting Gdf11's protective role against osteoarthritis [4].

In conclusion, Gdf11 is essential in multiple biological processes. Model-based research, especially Gdf11 KO/CKO mouse models, has revealed its significance in brain ageing and osteoarthritis. These findings provide insights into the biological functions of Gdf11 and potential therapeutic targets for related diseases.