Related Experiment Videos
[Vitamin D and its derivatives as anti-osteoporotic drugs]
Masatomo Mihara1, Daisuke Inoue, Toshio Matsumoto
1Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Sciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School Institute of Health Biosciences, Japan.
Abstract:
Vitamin D, particularly its active form, has been most widely used in Japan for the treatment of osteoporosis. However, clinical evidence for its efficacy as an anti-osteoporotic drug is scarce in terms of fracture prevention. Recent reports suggest that active vitamin D or its analogs may prevent fracture not only through enhancement of intestinal calcium absorption but also by improving bone quality and/or strength independently of bone mass and by improving neuromuscular function to reduce the number of falls.
Related Concept Videos
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone Remodeling