Calcium and phosphate homeostasis Flashcards
What is the role of the parathyroid glands in Ca2+ and PO4 homeostasis?
- Detect plasma levels of Ca2+ and PO4
- Produce and secrete parathyroid hormone
What is the role of the kidneys in Ca2+ and PO4 homeostasis?
- Ca2+ and PO4 reabsorption from filtrate
- Site of vitamin D activation
What is the role of the gut in Ca2+ and PO4 homeostasis?
Uptake of Ca2+ and PO4
What is the role of the thyroid in Ca2+ and PO4 homeostasis?
Calcitonin synthesis
What is the role of bone in Ca2+ and PO4 homeostasis?
- Storage of Ca2+ and PO4
- Produces fibroblast growth factor
What are the physiological roles of calcium?
- Bone and teeth formation and remodelling
- Muscle contraction
- Nerve function
- Enzyme co-factor
- Intracellular second messenger
- Stabilisation of membrane potentials
What are the roles of parathyroid hormone?
What stimulates its production?
Stimulated by low Ca2+
- Alters 1aOHase to convert 25(OH)D to 1,25(OH)2D in the kidney
- Stimulates increased reabsorption of Ca2+ in the kidney
- Stimulates bone resorption and Ca2+ release from bones.
What are the actions of active vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D)?
- Stimulates Ca2+ and PO4 reabsorption in kidneys
- Increases Ca2+ uptake in gut
- Stimulates bone resorption and release of Ca2+
- Required for osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation
- Regulates immune system
- Increases bone remodelling by promoting resorption
- Essential for cartilage production and bone mineralisation
What are the actions of calcitonin?
What is it synthesised by?
Synthesised by C-cells (neuroendocrine parafollicular cells) in the thyroid gland.
- Acts via g-protein linked receptor
- Inhibits bone resorption by preventing osteoclast activity
- Decreases reabsorption of PO4 and Ca2+ in the kidneys
Which hormones regulate Ca2+ reabsorption from filtrate in the kidneys?
Parathyroid hormone (stimulates)
Vitamin D (stimulates)
Calcitonin (inhibits)
What is the role of the parathyroid glands?
Detect circulating Ca2+ levels
Where is parathyroid hormone produced?
Chief cells in the parathyroid glands
How do calcium sensing receptors in the parathyroid gland stimulate or suppress production of PTH?
When there is sufficient or excess calcium, it is able to bind to the calcium sensing receptor.
High Ca2+:
- Binding to receptor causes activation of phospholipase C which suppresses PTH secretion and gene expression.
- G-protein signalling from the receptor also inhibits adenylate cyclase which then reduces CAMP causing suppression of PTH production.
Low Ca2+:
- Decreased binding to calcium receptor prevents the inhibition of adenylate cyclase; increased CAMP is produced which stimulates production and secretion of PTH.
What can bind to and activate Parathyroid hormone receptor 1 (PTHR1)?
Parathyroid hormone and Parathyroid Hormone Related Peptide
Both have same effect
What are the actions of parathyroid hormone related peptide? (PTHrP)
- Paracrine and autocrine action
- Mimics PTH, binds to PTHR1→ Increases Ca2+ in plasma
- Regulates endochondral bone formation/mineralisation
- Produced by some cancers: hypercalcaemia
- Does not increase activation of vit D
- Calcium regulation in foetus and lactation