Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Flashcards

1
Q

What is the most abundant metal in the body?

A

calcium

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2
Q

How is calcium distributed in the body?

A

99% resides in skeleton and teeth as calcium hydroxyapatite crystals
Extracellular calcium (tiny amount of total body calcium) is tightly regulated
‘Unbound’ ionised calcium = biologically active component

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3
Q

What is extracellular calcium?

A

In plasma
- ionised Ca (45%)
- Bound Ca2+

Bound Ca2+= Plasma proteins (45%) or anions (bicarbonate, phosphate, lactate)

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4
Q

What increases serum calcium and phosphate and what do they act on?

A

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) (secreted by parathyroid glands)

Vitamin D
Synthesised in skin or intake via diet

Main regulators of calcium & phosphate homeostasis via actions on kidney, bone and gut

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5
Q

What decreases serum calcium and phosphate?

A

Calcitonin (secreted by thyroid parafollicular cells)

  • Can reduce calcium acutely, but no negative effect if parafollicular cells are removed eg thyroidectomy
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6
Q

What are sources of vitamin D?

A

D2= ergocalciferol derived from UV irradiation of plants

D3= cholecalciferol derived from UV irradiation of skin (animals and humans) and certain foods (oily fish, egg yolks)

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7
Q

Describe vitamin D metabolism.

A
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8
Q

What is the active form of vitamin D called?

A

calcitriol

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9
Q

How does the sun make vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)?

A

7-dehydrocholesterol
-> pre-vitamin D3
-> cholecalciferol (D3)

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10
Q

How does 1,25(OH)2 cholecalciferol regulate its own synthesis?

A

by decreasing transcription of 1 alpha- hydroxylase

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11
Q

What is the major role of calcitriol?

A

Increase Ca2+ and PO4(3-) reabsorption from the GUT

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12
Q

What is the effect of calcitriol in 3 major parts of the body?

A

Gut= increase Ca2+ and PO4(3-) reabsorption from the gut

kidney= increase Ca2+ and PO4 reabsorption

bone= increase Ca2+ reabsorption

Overall= Increase Ca2+ in blood

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13
Q

What is calcitriol?

A

1,25(OH)2 cholecalciferol (active form of vitamin D)

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14
Q

What secretes parathyroid hormone?

A

Chief cells in the parathyroid glands

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15
Q

How is parathyroid hormone secreted?

A

Secreted as a large precursor (pre-pro-PTH) & cleaved to PTH

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16
Q

What triggers parathyroid hormone secretion?

A

G-protein coupled calcium sensing receptor on chief cells detects change in circulating calcium concentration

PTH secretion inversely proportional to serum calcium (aka if Ca is low PTH is up)

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17
Q

How do the calcium sensing receptors work?

A
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18
Q

When serum calcium increases, what happens to parathyroid hormone (PTH)?

A

It decreases

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19
Q

What are the actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on 3 parts of the body?

A

Gut bone and kidney

Overall increased plasma Ca2+

Most of the time PO4 loss is greater than absorption, so overall PO4 is lost

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20
Q

How does PTh affect bone strength?

A

It decreases as Ca2+ is released

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21
Q

what are osteoblasts and osteoclasts?

A

osteoblast= build bone
osteoclast= consume bome

22
Q

What is the PTH action in bone?

A

PTH binds to PTH receptor on osteoblast

This triggers osteoclast activating factors
- OAFs (e.g. RANKL; Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand)

This leads to osteoclasts consuming bone and bone reabsorption

23
Q

What is the effect of calcitriol in bone?

A

Calcitriol effects on bone depend on serum calcium:

LOW serum calcium – calcitriol works with PTH to increase calcium reabsorption from bone
osteoclasts > osteoblasts

NORMAL serum calcium – calcitriol promotes bone formation
osteoblasts > osteoclasts

Bone RESORPTION

24
Q

How is PTH regulated?

A

Increased plasma Ca2+ produces a negative feedback loop

25
Q

What is calcitonin?

A

Secreted from parafollicular (C) cells of the thyroid gland
Reduces serum calcium
Physiological role in calcium homeostasis in humans unclear
Removal of thyroid gland does not affect serum calcium

26
Q

Where is PTH stored?

A

colloid

27
Q

What are the actions and regulations of calcitonin?

A
28
Q

What are the cells in the proximal convoluted tubule of the kidney?

A

Cuboidal epithelia

29
Q

How does PO4(3-) enter cuboidal epithelia of PCT from the filtrate?

A

Na+PO4(3-) co-transporter
Na+ enters at the same time

30
Q

What inhibits Na+PO4 co-transporter?

A

FGF23

FGF23 gene provides instructions for making a protein called fibroblast growth factor 23

31
Q

How does FGF23 inhibit Na+PO4- co-transporter?

A

Inhibits calcitriol

32
Q

Where is FGF23 found?

A

In the cuboidal epithelial cells of the PCT

33
Q

Describe the regulation of serum phosphate by FGF23.

A
34
Q

What effect does calcitriol have on serum phosphate?

A

calcitriol increases PO4(3-) reabsorption

Increases serum phosphate (and calcium)

35
Q

What is high serum calcium?

A

Hypercalcaemia

36
Q

What is low serum calcium?

A

Hypocalcaemia

37
Q

What does hypercalcaemia cause when it comes to action potentials?

A

Action potential generation in nerves/skeletal muscle requires Na+ influx across cell membrane

HYPERcalcaemia= high extracellular Ca=
Ca2+ blocks Na+ influx, so LESS membrane excitability

38
Q

What does hypocalcaemia cause when it comes to action potentials?

A

enables GREATER Na+ influx, so MORE membrane excitability

39
Q

what does hypocalcaemia cause and what it the mnemonic to remember?

A

Sensitises excitable tissues; muscle cramps, tetany, tingling
- muscle and nerve types of cells
- muscles can contract but can’t relax properly

Signs & symptoms
Paraesthesia (hands, mouth, feet , lips)

Convulsions
Arrhythmias
Tetany
Mnemonic - [CATs go numb]

40
Q

What are 2 tests for a sign of hypocalcaemia?

A

Chvostek’s sign

Tap facial nerve just below zygomatic arch
Positive response = twitching of facial muscles
Indicates neuromuscular irritability due to hypocalcaemia

Trousseau’s sign

Inflation of BP cuff for several minutes induces carpopedal spasm = neuromuscular irritability due to hypocalcaemia

41
Q

What surgical process can lead to a risk of low Ca2+?

A

Parathyroid surgery

42
Q

What is low PTH levels called?

A

hypoparathyroidism

43
Q

What are the causes of hypocalcaemia?

A

Hypoparathyroidism
- surgical- neck surgery
- auto-immune
- magnesium deficiency
- congenital (agenesis, rare)

Vitamin D deficiency

44
Q

What are causes of vitamin D deficiency?

A

Malabsorption or dietary insufficiency
Inadequate sun exposure
Liver disease
Renal disease
Vitamin D receptor defects (rare)

45
Q

What stimulates renal 1-alpha-hydroxylase?

A

PTH

46
Q

What are the consequences of vitamin D deficiency?

A

Lack of bone mineralisation= soft bones

47
Q

What is vitamin D deficiency lead to in children and adults?

A

children= rickets (bowing of bones)

adults= osteomalacia (fractures, proximal myopathy (muscle weakness of upper/ lower limbs))

48
Q

What are the signs and symptoms of hypercalcaemia?

A

‘Stones, abdominal moans and psychic groans’
- Reduced neuronal excitability – atonal muscles

Stones – renal effects
Nephrocalcinosis – kidney stones, renal colic

Abdominal moans - GI effects
Anorexia, nausea, dyspepsia, constipation, pancreatitis

Psychic groans - CNS effects
Fatigue, depression, impaired concentration, altered mentation, coma (usually >3 mmol/L)

49
Q

What are causes of hypercalcaemia?

A

Primary hyperparathyroidism:
Too much PTH
Usually due to a parathyroid gland adenoma
No negative feedback - high PTH, but high calcium

Malignancy:
Bony metastases produce local factors to activate osteoclasts, increasing calcium reabsorption from bone

Vitamin D excess (rare)

50
Q

What is the hormonal control of phosphate regulated by?

A

FGF23
Vitmain D
PTH