Calcium homeostasis
DR.S.REKHA
Synopsis
o Calcium and Phosphate
oParathormone
oCalcitonin
oVitamin D
Introduction
Calcium – Imminent in all the activities of
the cell, tissues and organs
Phosphate – Inevitable role in the human
body
Normal levels
Normal Calcium level- 9 to 11 mg/dl
Normal phosphate level-2.5 to 4.5 mg/dl
Distribution
of Calcium
Distribution of
Phosphate
Homeostasis
Homeostasis of calcium and phosphate are
maintained by the hormones:
 Parathormone
 Calcitonin &
 Vitamin D
Parathormone
Parathormone
1. Source
2. Nature of hormone
3. Steps of Synthesis
4. Normal plasma concentration
5. Metabolism
6. Mechanism of action(Second
messenger)
7. Physiological actions
8. Factors regulating secretion
9. Applied physiology
1.Source
oFour Parathyroid
glands
oAt four poles of
thyroid gland
posteriorly
Two types of cells
Predominant type
Secrete
Parathormone(PTH)
Chief cells Oxyphil cells
Oxyphil granules
Appear during puberty
Do not secrete PTH
Types of cells
Secrete
Parathormone
(PTH)
2.Nature of hormone
Polypeptide
of 84
Aminoacid
3. Synthesis
3.Synthesis
o N terminal-
involved in
calcium regulation
o C terminal- not
involved in
calcium
regulation
4.Plasma concentration
Parathormone
10-60
pg/mL
5.Metabolism
oHalf life: 10 minutes
oMetabolized in the Liver and
oCleared by the kidneys
6.Mechanism of action
o Type 1 Receptor
o Type 2 Receptor
o Type 3 Receptor
PTH1
R
PTH2
R
CPTH
PTH and
PTHrP
PTH only
Carboxy-
terminal
only
6.Mechanism of action
7.Physiological actions
1.Kidney
Parathormone
2.Bone
3. Gastrointestinal
Tract
Kidney
Increased Calcium
reabsorption
Increased Calcium
reabsorption
PTH
Decreased phosphate
reabsorption
Through vitamin D
PTH
PTH
Phosphaturia
Bone
Increased bone
resorption
PTH
Bone
Increased bone
resorption
Increased calcium
Increased phosphate
Increased
hydroxyproline
Increased
hydroxylysine
PTH
 An index of osteoclastic activity
Increased
hydroxyproline in urine
Osteocytic osteolysis
Receptor activator of nuclear
factor-κB ligand (RANKL)
PTH
GIT
PTH
Increased Calcium
absorption
8. Regulation of secretion
Plasma calcium
Vitamin D
8.Regulation of secretion
Inhibits
parathormone
secretion
Plasma
8. Regulation of
secretion
8. Regulation of
secretion
9.Applied physiology
Hyperparathyroidism Hypoparathyroidism
Primary
Secondary
Primary
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypercalcemia
Hypophosphatemia
Demineralization of bone
Hypercalciuria
Renal calculus
Renal calculi
Osteitis fibrosa-complication of
Hyperparathyrodism
Fracture
Bone pain
oChronic renal disease
oRickets
oMalignancies (Bone metastasis)
o CA Breast,Lungs( ectopic PTHrP)
Secondary
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypercalcemia
Pseudo Hypoparathyroidism
Congenital variety
Symptoms of PTH deficiency are observed in
presence of normal PTH in plasma
Receptor defect- no
increase in cAMP
and IP3
Hypocalcemia Increased bone density
Tetany
During thyroidectomy- accidental removal of
parathyroid gland occurs – leads to acute
hypocalcemia (Tetany) which develops 24-48
hours postoperatively
Features of Tetany
Chvostek’s sign
Quick contraction of facial
muscles of same side by tapping
over the facial nerve at the
angle of the jaw
Trousseau’s sign
Carpopedal spasm
Laryngospasm
Treatment of Tetany
Administration of ionized
calcium and
Parathormone
To summarize..
1. Source
2. Nature of hormone
3. Steps of Synthesis
4. Normal plasma concentration
5. Metabolism
6. Mechanism of action(Second
messenger)
7. Physiological actions
8. Factors regulating secretion
9. Applied physiology
Calcitonin
Calcitonin
1. Source
2. Nature of hormone
3. Steps of Synthesis
4. Normal plasma concentration
5. Metabolism
6. Mechanism of action(Second
messenger)
7. Physiological actions
8. Factors regulating secretion
9. Applied physiology
1.Source
Parafollicular cells of thyroid gland secrete
Calcitonin
2.Nature of
hormone
Polypeptide of 32
aminoacids
3.Synthesis
Major stimulus is rise in calcium level
Above 9 mg% of plasma calcium, secretion
of calcitonin is directly proportional to the
calcium concentration
4.Plasma concentration
Calcitonin
10-20
pg/mL
5.Metabolism
Half life: 5-10 minutes
Metabolized in the Liver
6.Mechanism of action
7.Physiological actions
 Acts on bone
 Acts on kidney
Effect on bone
1.Decreases plasma calcium level
2.Decreases plasma phosphate level
Effect on Kidney
 Decreases calcium and also phosphate
reabsorption by kidney
 Calciuria and phosphaturia occurs
Functions of Calcitonin
7.Regulation of secretion
 Dopamine
 Cholecystokinin
 Gastrin
 Secretin
 Estrogen
Zollinger Ellison syndrome
Gastrin increases
Calcitonin level
9.Applied
physiology
Parafollicular cell cancer
Increased
Calcitonin
Calcitonin escape
Injection of
calcitonin
Hypocalcemia By inhibiting Bone
resorption
Antiresorptive
action begins to
wane within hours
Body escapes the
hypocalcemic effects
of calcitonin
Calcitonin escape
Probably due to downregulation of calcium receptors
Limits the use of calcitonin in long term management of
hypercalcemia
Calcitonin escape-
Significance
Bones normal in medullary carcinoma of thyroid
Protects against postprandial hypercalcemia
During pregnancy and lactation, calcitonin protects
bone mass by opposing osteoclastic activity.
Clinical uses of calcitonin
Paget’s disease
Central analgesic
Paget’s
disease
Idiopathic
Treatment Bisphosphonates
To
summarize..Calcitonin
1. Source
2. Nature of hormone
3. Steps of Synthesis
4. Normal plasma concentration
5. Metabolism
6. Mechanism of action(Second
messenger)
7. Physiological actions
8. Factors regulating secretion
9. Applied physiology
Vitamin D
1. Source
2. Nature of hormone
3. Steps of Synthesis
4. Normal plasma concentration
5. Metabolism
6. Mechanism of action(Second
messenger)
7. Physiological actions
8. Factors regulating secretion
9. Applied physiology
1.Source
o Cholecalciferol
o Steroid
2.Nature of hormone
3.Synthesis
4.Plasma concentration
Vitamin D
20-40
ng/mL
5.Metabolism
oHalf life: 15 hours
oMetabolized in the Liver
6.Mechanism of
action
7.Physiological actions
Acts on bone
Acts on kidney
Acts on small intestine
Effect on calcium
level
Vitamin D increases plasma
calcium levels
 Stimulating intestinal calcium
absorption
 The active form of Vitamin D,
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3
(calcitriol), increases the
amount of calcium the gut
absorbs from food.
Effect on calcium level
Vitamin D increases plasma calcium
levels by
Mobilizing calcium from bones
• When serum calcium levels are low,
calcitriol and parathyroid hormone
(PTH) work together to release
calcium from bones.
Effect on calcium
level
Vitamin D increases plasma
calcium levels by:
•Increasing renal
reabsorption of calcium
•Calcitriol and PTH also
increase the amount of
calcium the kidneys reabsorb
from the distal tubule.
Calcitriol increases renal NPT2a (sodium dependent
phosphate cotransporter) expression and phosphate
reabsorption,
Intestinal NPT2b expression and phosphate absorption.
Effect on Phosphate
level
Vitamin
D
deficienc
y in
children
Vitamin D
deficiency
in adults
Calcium
homeostasis
oNormal level of calcium
oCalcium distribution
oFunction of calcium
oRole of PTH
oRole of Calcitonin
oRole of vitamin D
oApplied physiology
Calcium level
in plasma
Phosphate level
in plasma
PTH
Calcitonin
Vitamin D
Give reasons
Tetany after thyroidectomy
Calcitonin escape
Increased calcitonin in Zollinger Ellison syndrome
Case
• Mr. Rajesh Gupta, 45 years M,office Worker;
came with complaints of Mild fatigue and muscle
weakness for the past 3 months,Occasional dull
ache in the lower back and joints,Increased
thirst and frequent urination noticed recently.
oInvestigations
1.Serum Calcium: 11.2 mg/dL
2.Parathyroid Hormone (PTH):90 pg/mL
3.Serum Phosphate: 2.4 mg/dL
4.Renal Function Tests: Normal.
5.Neck Ultrasound: A 1.2 cm lesion detected near the
lower pole of the right thyroid gland, suggestive of a
parathyroid adenoma.
What is your diagnosis?
Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Role of parathormone, calcitonin and vitamin D in the Calcium homeostasis.pptx