L13 - Calcium, Parathyroid Hormone, Vitamin D Flashcards
Calcium Function?
Intracellular
• Muscle contraction
• Cell signaling
• Hormone secretion
• Glycogen metabolism
• Cell division
Extracellular
• Maintenanceof intracellular calcium
• Bone mineralization
• Blood coagulation
• Plasma membrane potential
• Extracellular matrix (structure)
Calcium regulation is highly dynamic and tightly regulated constantly between input, exchange, and elimination to maintain homeostasis via endocrine hormones
Distribution of Calcium in the Human Body?
99% calcium and phosphate is stored in bone as hydroxyapatite
<0.1% circulates in blood plasma at 2.5 mmol/L
3 plasma fractions:
• Protein bound (albumin and globulin) (40%) (calcium positively charged)
• Complexed to anions (10%) (calcium positively charged)
• Ionized calcium (50%)
Total and Ionized Calcium (iCa)?
- ionized calcium is the biologically active fraction
- maintained within tight concentration limits
- laboratory assays can measure total and ionized calcium
- total calciumis cheaper to run and adequate for most patients
- ionized calcium is useful in critically ill, abnormal serum protein concentration, acid-base disturbances
- after blood collection, ionized calcium is sensitive to pH changes and in vitro metabolism
- special handling of specimens for ionized calcium –transport on ice, do not expose to air, analyze promptly
Reference Ranges:
total calcium: 2.25-2.60 mmol/L (~2.5)
ionized calcium: 1.22-1.37 mmol/L (~1.25)
Hormonal Regulation of Calcium Homeostasis?
Hormones:
• Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)
- Acts on bone and kidney
• 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D
- Acts on GI and bone
• Calcitonin (insignificant)
- Acts on bone
Parathyroid Hormone?
- 84 amino acid polypeptide hormone
- produced inChief Cells of the parathyroid gland
- synthesized as pre-pro-PTH and processed to mature PTH
- stored in granules
Parathyroid Hormone –Regulation by Calcium?
- PTH secreted in response to a drop in [iCa2+]
- Release is mediated by calcium sensing receptors (CASRs)
- Rapidly cleared from plasma with a t1/2 of 5 min by hepatic and renal metabolism – intact PTH required for activity
- Negative feedback by calcium
Actions of PTH: Bone?
**Check slide 10/24
Actions of PTH: Kidney?
**Check slide 11/24
Actions of PTH: Intestinal reabsorption?
- PTH upregulates 1-alpha-hydroxlase enzyme activity in the kidney
- 1-alpha-hydroxylase is responsible for producing the active form of vitamin D, named 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D
- 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D acts on intestinal cells to effect calcium reabsorption
Vitamin D?
- Vitamin D can be synthesized in the body or else be obtained in the diet
- 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D is the biologically active form:
- produced by the activities of cytochrome P450 enzymes
- Step 1: 25-hydroxylase in the liver to produce 25-hydroxy vitamin D
- Step 2: 1-alpha-hydroxylase in the kidney to produce 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D
• Nutritional status of vitamin D is assessed with 25 hydroxy vitamin D test because:
- Vitamin D is rapidly converted to 25 hydroxy vitamin D
- 25 hydroxy vitamin D has a long half life (15 days versus 15 hours for 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D)
- 25 hydroxy vitamin D is present in nmol/L versus pmol/L for 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D
Actions of 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D: Intestinal reabsorption?
- Vitamin D is a lipophilic hormone
- Crosses membrane and binds to nuclear receptor Vitamin D Receptor = VDR
- Increases transcription of calbindin gene and protein synthesis
- Calbindin promotes calcium uptake and calcium vesicles are formed and exocytosed
- There are also direct effects leading to calcium vesicular formation
Vitamin D Actions: Kidney, Bone, Parathyroid?
Calcitonin?
32 amino acid peptide hormone produced by C cells in the thyroid gland
Secreted in response to high calcium
Action:
• Bone: Inhibit osteoclast activity
- Used for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, etc.
• Kidney: minor effect on calcium handling
In Disease:
• Tumor marker for medullary thyroid carcinoma (tumor of C-cells)
Hypocalcemia?
PTH
- Hypoparathyroidism
- severe hypomagnesemia
- autoimmune disease (rare): autoantibody against CASR
Vitamin D
• Deficiency: malabsorption, lack of sun exposure
• Disordered Vitamin D metabolism
- Chronic liver disease
- Renal failure
- Enzyme deficiency (1α-hydroxylase)
Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PTH resistance)
• Mutations in gene encoding G protein S leads to reduced signaling
Hypocalcemia: Clinical Symptoms?
Neuromuscular:
• Paresthesia (numbness, tingling)
• Cramps and spasms (tetany)
• Seizure
Cardiovascular:
• Increased QT time
• Arrhythmia
Chvostek’s sign
Trousseau’s sign
**Check slide 17/24