Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D23

https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.6.1689SGet rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

ABSTRACT

Vitamin D3 is a prohormone produced in skin through ultraviolet irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol. It is biologically inert and must be metabolized to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the liver and then to 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the kidney before function. The hormonal form of vitamin D3, ie, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, acts through a nuclear receptor to carry out its many functions, including calcium absorption, phosphate absorption in the intestine, calcium mobilization in bone, and calcium reabsorption in the kidney. It also has several noncalcemic functions in the body. This overview provides a brief description of the physiologic, endocrinologic, and molecular biologic characteristics of vitamin D. It also provides information on new selective analogs of 1α,25-dihydroyvitamin D3 for therapy.

Key Words

Vitamin D metabolism
bone
calcium homeostasis
tetany
vitamin D endocrine system
autoimmune diseases

Cited by (0)

2

Presented at the conference “Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century: Bone and Beyond,” held in Bethesda, MD, October 9–10, 2003.

3

Supported in part by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.