"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
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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
Calcium can sometimes act like a natural diuretic, helping the kidneys release sodium and water. Also, when calcium levels in the blood drop, parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released, which causes calcium to be released from the bones to increase calcium blood levels and PTH can raise blood pressure. Scientists are still trying to figure out how and why, but
Blood samples were taken before and after the study to compare changes in calcium homeostasis and bone biomarkers. The Wilcoxon paired-sample test was used to assess baseline samples to supplementation and exercise samples after the 8-week study with the statistical significance set at p<0.05. The results showed and increase of 42.8% in 25-OH-vitamin D and a 17.5% decrease in PTH and 14.6% in BAP. The researchers findings suggest, the combination of vitamin C and E coupled with aerobic training may improve the regulation of calcium levels through the effect on bone that normally decreases in the elderly and further study with longer durations should be undertaken to evaluate BMD and fracture risk.
3. Explain how the body controls calcium levels in the bones and blood. Be sure to describe the roles of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin in detail.
Calcitriol moves to the nucleus of these cells and boost the role of proteins that carry calcium from inside the small intestine to the blood. Calcitonin does the opposite of the parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. While the parathyroid gland and vitamin D raise the calcium levels, calcitonin decreases it. Calcitonin is a hormone secreted by the C cell of the thyroid gland that lowers blood calcium levels by inhibiting bone resorption. (Lingohr-Smith, 2011).
2. Vitamin D- A group of steroids; resistant to heat, oxidation, acids, and bases; stored in liver, skin, brain, spleen, and bones. Promotes absorption of calcium and phosphorous; promotes development of teeth and bones. Sources: produces in skin exposed to ultraviolet light; in milk; egg yolk; fish liver oils; fortified foods. Excess: Diarrhea calcification of soft tissues, renal damage. Deficienceis: Rickets,bone decalcification and weakening.
Boosting your immune system,Vitamin D helps your body regulate the absorption of your calcium and phosphorus.
include Calcium and Phosphate both can only be useful to bones when the needed amount of Vitamin D is present in the body to absorb it. The elements create strong bones and protect against disorders such as osteomalacia, which is the softening of bones. This vitamin is also needed for your immune system to function properly, since it helps combat infections and viruses. The immune system is not the only system in your body affected by Vitamin D, in fact almost everything you do is aided by Vitamin D, the respiratory system is just another example. The reason we can breathe easily is because our body has the recommended amount of Vitamin D to ensure healthy
Influx and efflux of calcium regulate the membrane potential of the cell, which in turn regulates the contractility of smooth muscle cells. However, we neglected to link calcium’s role in membrane potential to its effects on potassium channels, one of the focuses of the first paper and the main influence on vasodilation and constriction. Furthermore, although external sources backed up the influence of insulin in activating Ca2+-ATPase as we wrote in our second hypothesis, the new supporting information does not mention insulin while suggesting that glucose might have a role in be inhibiting these Ca+-dependent K+
Vitamin intake is a commonly overlooked necessity in basic nutritional health. What most people do not know is that certain vitamin deficiencies can cause many health risks and problems. Many people believe that are getting all the vitamins they need from their diet, however most of the time they are not. One of the most common vitamin deficiencies is the low intake of Vitamin D. There are some vitamins that are produced by the body such as vitamin K; however some of the most important vitamins are not produced by the body. Vitamin D is one of the vitamins that our body needs to function correctly that is not naturally produced by the body. Vitamin D can be consumed through
A fat-soluble vitamin D is an essential vitamin which works as precursor steroid in biological and metabolic processes happening in human body (1). Deficiency of Vitamin D has shown a verity of adverse psychological, skeletal and muscular health issues (2). Vitamin D deficiency rate has been increased remarkably from year 1994 to 2004. There are many factors responsible for this like sun avoidance & sunblock use which are mostly evident in athletes, and other factors like increase in obesity rates which causes sequestration of vitamin D (3). Deficiency of Vitamin D is linked with many musculoskeletal systems related health issues.
On the other hand, Vitamin D plays an important role in the regulation of serum calcium levels and bone homeostasis [9]. Yet, during the last decades, researchers reported pleiotropic effects on different types of cells [10]. The active metabolite of vitamin D ( 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]) modulates cellular proliferation and differentiation, and has potent anti-cancer activities both in vitro and in vivo
Potassium is the main cation present in the intracellular fluid. Its essential to establish the resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers after membrane depolarization and action potentials.
It is interesting to know that “calcium ions are critical mediators of cell injury” (Huether & McCance, 2012, p. 64). In addition, normally,
Classical Calpains, especially those found in humans, are ubiquioltly expressed and are controlled through the inhibitor of Calpastain (Trinchese et al., 2008). Although the role of calcium inducing change to enable Calpastatin to bind to Calpain is unknown, it is seen that Calpain 2 is bounded by inhibitory domains of Calpastatin which are inhibiting Calpain from both sides of the active site cleft. From this it was assumed that Calpastatin not only recognizes that there are multiple lower affinity sites but, that they are only present in the calcium-bound form of the enzyme which results in the interaction between Calpain and Calpastatin to be tight, specific and calcium dependent (Hanna, Campbell, & Davies, 2008).
It is derived from cholesterol, which in the skin is converted to 7-Dehydrocholesterol. Once the skin is exposed to the sun, 7-dehydrocholesterol is further converted to cholecalciferol. This is an inactive form of vitamin D, which circulates to the liver for its first activation. Once there, the enzyme 25 hydroxylase attaches a hydroxyl group (OH) to the 25th carbon on the molecule and now it becomes 25-cholecalciferol. Once it leaves the liver, 25-cholecalciferol goes to the kidneys. When blood calcium levels are low, PTH activates another enzyme in the kidneys called 1 hydroxylase. This enzyme adds another hydroxyl group (OH) to the 1st carbon of 25-hydroxycalciferol that becomes the activated form of vitamin D known as 1,25-dihydroxycalciferol or calcitriol. The action of calcitriol is twofold. First, it decreases the kidney’s excretion of calcium. Second, it increases the reabsorption of calcium from the renal tubules. This in turn increases the amount of calcium in the blood. Calcitriol also plays another role in maintaining calcium. Like PTH, it stimulates the intestines to absorb more calcium from