title: Physiology of calcium, phosphate and magnesium.
abstract: The physiology of calcium and the other minerals involved in its metabolism is complex and intimately tied in with the physiology of bone. Five principal humoral factors are involved in maintaining plasma levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphate and coordinating the balance between these and their content in bone. The transmembrane transport of these elements is dependent on a series of complex mechanisms that are controlled by these hormones. The plasma concentration of calcium is initially sensed by a calcium-sensing receptor which then sets up a cascade of events that initially determines parathyroid hormone secretion and eventually results in a specific action within the target organs, mainly bone and kidney. This chapter describes the physiology of these humoral factors and relates them to the pathological processes that give rise to disorders of calcium and bone metabolism. It details the stages in the calcium cascade and describes the effects on the various target organs. The pathology of disorders of bone and calcium metabolism is described in detail in the relevant chapters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK. jeremy.allgrove@bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allgrove
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000502:physiology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D044169:Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / Q000502:physiology; D018016:Receptors, Parathyroid Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D010710:Phosphates; D044169:Receptors, Calcium-Sensing; D018016:Receptors, Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; D002116:Calcitonin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium