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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Alveolar Periosteum and Effects of Vitamin D on Osteogenic Activity of Periosteum-derived Cells
Published on: May 4, 2018
Determinants and correlates of serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin
Katharina Nimptsch1, Susanne Hailer, Sabine Rohrmann
1Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
Background/Aims:
To assess dietary and nondietary determinants of serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) as a measure of vitamin K status.
Methods:
UcOC and total intact osteocalcin (iOC) concentrations were determined by specific ELISA tests in serum samples of 231 male and 320 female participants (18-81 years) of the representative, cross-sectional Bavarian Food Consumption Survey II. Determinants of ucOC were investigated by analysis of variance, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and logistic regression models.
Results:
Mean ucOC serum concentration was 2.46 ng/ml in men and 2.34 ng/ml in women. Corresponding means of the ratio of ucOC to iOC (ucOC/iOC) were 0.28 and 0.29. Concentrations of ucOC and iOC, as well as the ratio of ucOC/iOC, strongly depended on the participant's age. UcOC was influenced by smoking status, sports activity, and the season when blood was collected. Dietary intake of the dominant vitamin K sources, green leafy vegetables and dairy products, as well as the plasma concentration of the carotenoid lutein were inversely associated with serum ucOC values.
Conclusions:
In studies using serum ucOC as a measure of vitamin K supply, determinants, especially age, need to be taken into account.
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