The regulatory factors and cell responses during osteogenic differentiation have been reviewed. Evidence has been provided on hormone and mechanical regulation and on the extracellular matrix (ECM). The data on responses of primary cell culture and constant cell lines of osteogenic origin to these regulations are represented in the number of tables. It looks likely that the relationship with the ECM may mediate the rest of regulations, and therefore the most attention was paid to the cell-ECM interactions and, namely, to collagen-integrin interplay. A comparison of the reviewed data leads to an assumption that the ECM influence is passed through integrin receptors to the nuclear matrix connected transcriptional factors causing the next step of osteogenic differentiation.