6. Calcium Homeostasis Flashcards
What are the functions of calcium?
- Muscle contraction
- Nerve excitability
- Neurotransmitter and hormone release
- Enzyme function
- Blood coagulatation (cofactor for clotting factors)
- Structural support for healthy bones and teeth
- Membrane permeability
What does a calcium deficit in cells result in?
Hyperexcitability
What does excess calcium in the cytosol result in?
Increased contractability
How is calcium concentration regulated?
- Intake, absorption, secretion of Ca++ and vitamin D
- Functioning intestine, parathyroid glands and kidneys
- Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin
Where is excess calcium stored?
Bone
What two ways can calcium be absorbed?
Passive: relative to Ca++ conc in lumen
Active: Needs active vitamin D
Describe active absorption of calcium
- Entry across apical brush border is mediated by CaT1
- Calbindin binds and transports Ca++
- Enters blood mediated by plasma membrane Ca++-ATPase
What happens when there is an increased concentration of calcium in the blood?
- Thyroid releases calcitonin
- Increased calcium deposition in bone (calcification)
- Decreased uptake of calcium by the intestines
- Decreased reabsorption from kidneys
What happens when there is a decreased concentration of calcium in the blood?
- Parathyroid releases PTH
- Increased resorption from bone
- Increased uptake from intestines
- Increased reabsorption from kidneys (stimulates active vitamin D which increases intestinal uptake)
What factors affect calcium metabolism?
- Calcium intake and urinary loss
- Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin
- Vitamin D
- Function of involved organs
- Plasma albumin concentration
- Blood pH
What type of hormone is PTH?
84 amino acid polypeptide
What are the target organs of PTH?
Bone, kidneys, intestines
What are the functions of PTH?
- Increases Ca++ and Mg++ reabsorption from the kidney
- Increases Ca++, HPO4- and Mg++ uptake from the GIT
- Increases osteoclast activity
- Formation of active vitamin D
What is Parathyroid Hormone-related Protein?
Made by many adult and fetal tissues
Similar in structure to PTH but longer
Binds to same receptors as PTH
Can also be hypersecreted from breast and lung tumours
What are the functions of PTHrP?
- Mammary gland development and lactation
- Transfer of Ca++ in placenta
- Early bone development
- Vasodilation
- Increases resorption from bone
- Decreases Ca++ loss in urine
What type of receptor is the type 1 PTH receptor?
GPCR
Binds both PTH and PTHrP
cAMP second messenger
Found in bone and kidneys
What type of hormone is calcitonin?
32 amino acid polypeptide
Where is calcitonin synthesised?
Parafollicular cells in the thyroid gland