Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026

A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro
Published on: June 2, 2022
The Effect of Paricalcitol on Vascular Calcification and Cardiovascular Disease in Uremia: Beyond PTH Control
Mario Cozzolino1, Florjan Mehmeti, Paola Ciceri
1Renal Division, DMCO, San Paolo Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Via A. di Rudinì 8; 20142, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a systemic disorder that associates with bone and cardiovascular disease, including arterial calcification. Treatment with calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, reduces parathyroid hormone levels, but may result in elevations in serum calcium and phosphorus, increasing the risk of vascular calcification in dialysis patients. New vitamin D receptor activators (VDRAs) have been developed and investigated with the rationale to treat high serum PTH levels, with a reduced risk of hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. Paricalcitol is a selective VDRA that suppresses PTH secretion with minimal increases on serum calcium and phosphate. Moreover, paricalcitol prevents vascular calcification in experimental models of renal failure, compared with calcitriol.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by producing...
Urinary Tract Calculi IV: Nutrition Therapy and Prevention
Urinary Tract Calculi II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations

