Bone Metabolism Flashcards

1
Q

What makes up the skeleton?

A
  • Skeleton is 40% organic - predominantly type 1 collagen, but also non-collagenous proteins are present.
  • 60% of it is inorganic (calcium hydroxyapatite)
  • Trabecular bone has a wide surface area, structure which is mechanically strong.
  • Trabecular bone is actually a target area for bone remodelling.
  • Those bite marks you see are resorption pits.
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2
Q

What would you find it you were to look close up at the resorption pits?

A
  • You’d see osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

- You can see the osteoclast sitting in the resorption pit, removing away the bone.

  • Osteoblasts are mononuclear single nucleotide cells (cuboidal cells) which produce type-1 collagen and new bone matrix (unmineralised)
  • Some osteoblasts bury themselves alive (in the red bit) in the bone matrix, and become osteocytes in the bone matrix.
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3
Q

Give an overview of bone remodelling.

A
  1. Resorption - osteoclasts arrive at the bone surface and start to resorb the stuff.
  2. Then reversal phase, switch from absorption to formation (osteoblasts lay down initially un-mineralised type-1 collagen) and later on that becomes mineralised to bone.
  3. Then finally, calcium ion released into system.
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4
Q

What signalling mechanisms are involved in controlling cells that can affect calcium levels in circulation?

What is bone matabolism?

A
  • Bone metaboism drives bone remodelling.
  • Maintains levels of ionised calcium in blood within a defined range.
  • Signalling mechanisms include:

- Parathryoid Hormone (PTH)

- 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3

  • Calcitonin

- Growth Hormone

- Growth Factors (FGFs, TGFs)

- Oestrogen

- Cytokines (e.g. Interleukin-1, interferon-y)

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5
Q

What should serum concentration of calcium be at?

A
  • Reccomended daily intake - 1000mg
  • 99% of calcium in skeleton
  • 1% in extracellular fluid and soft tissues

Serum Concentration of calcium = 2.25-2.6mmol/L

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6
Q

What are the three forms of calcium found in serum?

A
  • Ionised calcium (Ca2+) (about 50% of all calcium).
  • Protein-bound calcium (primarily to albumin - 40%)
  • Complexed calcium (mostly to citrate and phosphate, 10%)

It is the ionised calcium that is physiologically important.

Ca2+ ion levels are maintained by PTH, vitamin D, calcitonin (+ others)

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7
Q

What are the three definable fractions of inorganic phosphate int he serum:

A
  • Ionised phosphate (55%)
  • Protein-bound phosphate (10%)
  • Complexed phosphate (mostly to sodium, calcium and magnesium).
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8
Q

What regulates phosphate levels?

A
  • Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)
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9
Q

What are the usual levels of phosphate?

A
  • Major ionic species of phosphate in serum at pH 7.4 is the divalent anion (HP042-)

In contrast to rigid regulation of calcium levels, phosphate concentrations in serum vary quite widely, influenced by age, diet, pH, hormones.

Usually around 0.9-1.3 mmol/L.

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10
Q

How much phosphorus is found in the adult human body?

A
  • Approximately 600g
  • 85% in the skeleton
  • 15% in extracellular fluids, largely in the form of inorganic phosphate ions.
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11
Q

How is vitamin D synthesised?

A

Vitamin D is synthesised from cholecalciferol.

Synthesised in skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol.

25-hydoxylation in the liver produces 25(OH)D3 - the main circulating metabolite with little biological activity.

1-hydroxylation in the kidney produces 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3

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12
Q

What is the principal hormonal form of Vitamin D?

A

1,25 (OH)2 Vitamin D3

This is the principal hormonal form of Vitamin D and is responsible for most of its biological actions.

1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 production is tightly regulated and stimulated by PTH and inhibited by elevated serum Calcium and Phosphate.

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13
Q

What actions does 1,25(OH)2 Vitamin D3 engage in?

A
  • It increases calcium and phosphate absorption from the intestine.
  • It mobilises calcium and phosphate from bone.
  • It induces marrow monocytes to differentiate into osteoclasts to stimulate born resorption.
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14
Q

What are the vitamin D3 metabolites?

A
  • 24-hydroxylation of 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 produces 24,25(OH)2D3 and 1,24,25 (OH)3D3
  • 24-hydroxylation generally first stage in catabolism of active vitamin D metabolites.
  • 24-hydroxylase is induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 which produces a feedback mechanism to prevent vitamin D toxicity.
  • 24,25(OH)2D3 and 1,24,25 (OH)3D3 biological activities unclear.
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15
Q

What is Parathyroid Hormone? (PTH)

A
  • It is an 84 amino acid polypeptide.
  • Molecular weight 9,500
  • Half-life: 20 minutes.

‘It is secreted by the parathyroid gland in response to low plasma Ca2+ levels.’

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16
Q

What are the actions of PTH?

A
  • Stimulate osteoclastic bone resorption, therefore mobilises calcium from bone.
  • Intermittent low levels of PTH appear to stimulate osteoblastic bone formation.

- PTH mediates its effects predominantly through osteoblasts, which communicate directly with osteoclasts to transmit PTH-dependent effects on resorption.

  • Decreases renal calcium excretion

- Increases renal production of 1,25(OH)2 Vitamin D3.

- Increases blood calcium levels.

17
Q

What is parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP)?

A
  • It is the product of normal and malignant cells.
  • It is required for normal development, regulator of proliferation and mineralisation of chondrocytes.
  • Acts predominantly locally and not systemically in physiological situations.
  • PTHrP is a major mediator of hypercalcaemia of malignancy.
  • PTHrP secreted by many types of malignant tumours (particularly breast and lung cancers) and promotes hyerpcalcaemia by activating the PTH/PTHrP receptor.
  • When secreted in excess (by malignancy), PTHrP can act systemically.
18
Q

Explain the role of Calcitonin

A
  • Calcitonin is a 32 amino acid polypeptide.
  • It is released from the parafollicular (C) cells of the thyroid in response to high plasma calcium levels (>2.25mmol/L).
  • Reduces bone resorption by activating calcitonin receptors expressed by osteobclasts.
19
Q

Explain the process of calcium metabolism.

A
  • Decreased in Ca2_ induces PTH secretion, which mobilises calcium (bones), decreases renal calcium excretion and increases renal synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 that also enhances calcium mobilisation and absorption (bones, intesine).
  • Increased Ca2+ increases calcitonin secretion (inhibits bone resorption) and decreases 1,25(OH)2D3 synthesis.
20
Q

How do Oestrogens affect bone turnover?

A

Oestrogens:

  • Important role in maintaining bone mass.
  • Reduce bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and inhibiting osteoclast function.
  • Oestrogen receptors expressed by both osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
  • High oestrogen doses can have anabolic effects.
21
Q

Explain how androgens affect bone turnover

A
  • Decreased andogen levels linked to lower bone density in men.
  • Correlation between hypogonadism in elderly men and incidence of hip and spinal osteoperosis.
  • Androgen supplementation can increase bone density in men and women.

- Androgens decrease bone resorption by directly targeting osteoclasts.

22
Q

What are the causes of Hypercalcaemia?

A
  • Primary hyperparathyroidism

- Malignancy (osteoclytic bone metastases)

  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Immobilisation
  • Vitamin D toxicity
23
Q

Explain Primary hyperparathyroidism

A

Symptoms:

  • At skeletal sites, excess PTH can lead to osteitis fibrosa cystica (replacement of bone with fibrous tissue)
  • Periosteal erosions, bone pain, fracture, deformity.
  • Skull and phalanges most affected
  • Kidney stones.
24
Q

Explain the causes of Hypocalcaemia

A
  • Renal Failure
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Prematurity - Immature Vitamin D Metabolism, Immature Parathyroid Gland.
25
Q

Explain the causes of secondary hyperparathyroidism

A
  • Physiological response to hypocalcaemia
  • Symptoms similar to primary hyperparathyroidism
26
Q

What can cause Osteomalacia and Rickets?

A
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Anticonvulsants that inhibit synthesis of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3

Inherited:

  • Vitamin D-dependent rickets (VDDR) type I (1-hydroxylase deficiency)
  • Vitamin D-dependent rickets (VDDR) type 2 (resistance to 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3
27
Q

What are the clinical features of Osteomalacia and Rickets?

A
  • Diffuse bone pain
  • Localised bone pain around hips
  • Muscle weakness.
  • Elevated alkaline phosphatase levels.
  • Decreased mineralisation.
  • Weight bearing long bones display a bowing demormity
28
Q

What are the epidemiological facts about Osteoporosis

A

Features:

1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over 50 will get osteoporosis.

  • Treatment costs 1.7 billion a year in the UK.
  • Caused by net loss of bone mass, uncoupled remodelling so that resorption > formation.
  • Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and deterioration of bone microarchitecture increases susceptibility to fracture.
  • Most common in post-menopausal women.
29
Q

What treatment options are there for Osteoporosis?

A

- Calcium supplementation

  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Biophosphates (potent inhibitors of boen resorption, Alendronate, Residronate, Etidronate).
  • Calcitonin
  • Selective Estrogen-Receptor Modulator (SERMs) - produces oestrogen agonist effects slectively in bone Raloxifene.
30
Q
A