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Investigating The Three Hormones Involved During The Regulation Of Plasma Calcium Concentration

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"Identify and discuss the three hormones involved in the regulation of plasma calcium concentrations. Explain why it is misleading to state that calcitonin lowers the plasma calcium concentration."

Calcium circulates in the plasma in three different forms: ionized calcium, protein-bound calcium and in complexes formed with anions found in the blood. Although ionized calcium accounts for only half of the circulating levels of calcium, it is essential for several important cell functions, such as muscular contraction, cellular signalling, exocytosis and bone composition. Therefore, it is necessary that the concentration of the ion in the blood stream is kept within a considerably strict range.
Besides the dietary calcium intake, the human …show more content…

Due to its hydrophilic nature, the hormone produces its effects by binding to a surface receptor on target cells, PTH1R, which is coupled to G protein, triggering the cAMP pathway. By doing that, PTH exerts rapid effects by stimulating calcium reabsorption in the kidneys, elevating resorption of skeletal hydroxyapatite by osteoclasts and indirectly increasing intestinal calcium uptake by promoting calcitriol synthesis in the kidneys by upregulating the activity of cytochrome P450 hydroxylases. Interestingly, it also stimulates osteoblasts to release RANKL molecules, which indirectly results in an increased osteoclastic bone resorption. Moreover, PTH secretion induces a higher excretion of phosphate ions in the urine, recruiting part of the calcium that is bound to anions in the blood.
Another hormone involved in the regulation of calcium levels is calcitriol. Differently from the other two hormones discussed in this text, vitamin D, as it is also known, is a hydrophobic peptide hormone and thus acts via its nuclear receptor (VDR) in a slower, steroid-like mechanism. By activating its receptor, this hormone regulates gene promotion via nuclear response elements (VDRE). This way, vitamin D stimulates the upregulation of calcium transporters in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in an increase in plasma calcium levels by raising the ion uptake. Moreover, it also induces a higher renal reabsorption of calcium and promotes bone resorption, increasing

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