The roles of calcitonin, parathormone and calcitriol in the regulation of plasma calcium and phosphate are well-established. However, in autosomal-dominant hypophosphatemic rickety patients, studies have revealed normal plasma levels of calcium, associated with normal thyroid and parathyroid functions, but decreased levels of phosphate and calcitriol despite adequate reserves of vitamin D. Also, in tumoral calcinosis, persistent hyperphosphatemia with increased levels of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 have been observed. These studies indicate the involvement of factors other than the ones already known. The first decade of this century/millennium has led to the discovery of the involvement of fibroblast growth factor-23, furin protease and a-klotho in the homeostasis of calcium and phosphate, which is the subject of this mini-review.
Basic ConceptsThe roles of three hormones, namely, thyrocalcitonin, parathyroid hormone (PTH/parathormone) and calcitriol (1, 25-dihydroxy cholecalciferol/1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ) in the regulation of plasma calcium and phosphate are well established. For instance, post in-take of meal, dietary Ca 2? and PO 4 3-uptake/absorption in the intestines takes place; while Ca 2? uptake is promoted because of the increased in vivo population of calcium transporting and binding proteins caused by increased de novo synthesis induced by calcitriol, the phosphate uptake occurs due to the increased activity of the Na ? /PO 4 3-co-transporter-2b; both these processes being brought about by calcitriol hormone derived from its pre-pro-precursor, vitamin D. This increased uptake of these two minerals in the intestine leads to a tide in plasma which needs to be dissipated. Thyrocalcitonin is released by thyroid glands in response to this tide, which promotes mineralization of the soft bones by inhibiting osteoclastic activities on the one hand and promoting osteoblastic activity on the other hand, thereby normalizing plasma levels of Ca 2? and PO 4 3-. Whenever plasma Ca 2? decreases (hypocalcemia), parathormone (PTH) is released by parathyroid glands. This hormone acts in conjunction with calcitriol in two ways, (a) by promoting osteocytes to secrete sclerostin, which binds bone morphogenetic receptor, leading to inhibition of osteogenesis, while promoting osteoclastic activity [1], i.e. (i) active release of proteases, glycosidases and phosphatases which cause breakdown of proteoglycan mesh and release of covalently-bound phosphate (organic phosphate) from proteins (such as, osteogenin), (ii) increased release of H ? due to increased osteoclastic carbonic anhydrase and (iii) consequential release of hydroxyapatite from c-carboxy-glutamate residues of peptides/proteins and its dissociation under acidic conditions, leading to demineralization and release into plasma of large amounts of Ca 2? and PO 4 3-from soft regions of bones, thereby reversing the osteogenic processes induced by thyrocalcitonin, and (b) by selective reabsorption, in conjunction with calcitriol, of Ca 2? on the