[FGF-23: just a phosphate metabolism regulator or something else?]

Endocrine communication between the bone, kidney, and the intestine is involved in maintaining appropriate serum phosphate concentrations, which is critical for the maintenance of skeletal integrity and is central to signal transduction and cell metabolism. In addition, hyperphosphatemia is statistically associated with vascular calcification, increased morbidity and mortality; because of this, phosphate regulation has become an important field of research. In this sense, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) has been identified as a new hormone involved in phosphate regulation through feedback mechanisms involving parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. Given what the kidney is the primary site for regulation of phosphate levels and the principal target for FGF-23, its discovery has changed the understanding of disordered mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease, especially now, since there is clinical evidence in favor of FGF-23 playing a central role for the pathogenesis of sHPT.