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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro
Published on: June 2, 2022
Discovery of alpha-Klotho unveiled new insights into calcium and phosphate homeostasis
1Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. nabemr@lmls.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
alpha-Klotho was first identified as the responsible gene in a mutant mouse line whose disruption results in a variety of premature aging-related phenotypes. alpha-Klotho has been shown to participate in the regulation of parathyroid hormone secretion and trans-epithelial transport of Ca(2+) in the choroid plexus and kidney. alpha-Klotho, acting as a cofactor for FGF23, is also a major regulator of vitamin D biosynthesis and phosphate reabsorption in the kidney. These suggest that alpha-Klotho is a key player that integrates a multi-step regulatory system of calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Collectively, the molecular function of alpha-Klotho reveals a new paradigm that may change current concepts in mineral homeostasis and give rise to new insights in this field.
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