Calcium and Phosphorus Flashcards
(92 cards)
What are relevant dietary characteristics of Calcium?
- Has 2 valence electrons which are lost readily in solution creating Ca2+ which is the preferred dietary state
- Ca2+ has tight configuration (low radius) on its own but can attract H2O to form large ‘effective ionic radius’.
- Limited Ca2+ intracellular movement due to membrane permeability so it is useful for other interactions within cell
- Binding constant of Ca2+ can change, interacts with array of different molecules
Biological functions of Ca2+
- Bone mineralization
- Considered an intermediate messenger carrier so can initiate series of processes
- Rapid rise and fall of Ca2+ with cell activation allows functions to be performed
Calcium role in bone mineralization
A part of hydroxyapetite (along with P) which is component of bone & teeth which most calcium is here
* 99% of calcium is mineralised in bone
Where is the rest of Ca2+ outside of bone storage?
Of the remaining 1%, ~half is as ionized to the active form Ca2+ (active form) such that increases in intracellular calcium may act on cell directly or via calcium binding proteins to regulate processes such as:
* blood clotting
* nerve conduction
* muscle contraction
* enzyme regulation
* membrane permeability
How does Ca2+ iniate extracellular processes
low intracellular concentration of <0.01% maintained by pump but can enter cytoplasm extracellularly or intracellularly through cell activation (depolarization, NT, hormones & second messengers) and the rapid rise and fall allow functions
What are specific examples of Ca2+ role extracellulary?
- Platelet PLA2: hydrolyzes AA from PL in cell membranes to form prostaglandins, thrombboxanes, leukotrienes
- Protein kinase C: Stimulates PKC which phosphorylates enzymes that stimulate/inhibit metabolic pathways
- Calmodulin: binds 4 Ca2+ & changes conformation/ability to interact with calmodulin-dependent enzymes such as calcineurin & phosphorylase kinase
What pathways can Ca2+ follow to get into the cell to exert its actions on a cell?
- voltage dependant slow channel (extra- to intra-)
- agonist dependant channel (extra- to intra-)
- diffusion (depends on cell permeability) (extra- to intra-)
- Inositol triphosphate (IP3) messenger pathway (fron intra-)
How does Ca2+ exit the cell into circulation?
- ATP-dependant pumps using Mg2+ and Na+
- ATPase
Describe the voltage dependant slow channel for Ca2+ entering the cell
Indirect influx of Calcium from extracellular space by changing intracellular
electrical properties of membrane
* Signals from outside of cell influence the channels conformation allowing influx of non specific ions
Describe the agonist dependant channels for Ca2+ entering the cell
Calcium specific channel activated through ligand binding so Ca2+ enters from extracellular space and it can then act directly or as second messenger.
* muscle contraction (direct)
* secretion (direct)
* calmodulin (second messenger)
Describe the IP3 messenger pathway for Ca2+ release
- G coupled protein activates phospholipase C
- PIP2 hydrolyzed whereby the IP3 is soluble and diffuses into cell and DAG stays in membrane but both are second messengers
- IP3 binds to Ca2+ channel in ER whereby Ca2+ can come into cytosol and cause a response or act as a second messenger
- DAG is used in signal transduction and lipid signalling
Role of Ca2+ as a second messenger in the cell
4 Ca2+ from intracellular or extracellular release can bind to calmodulin which changes its conformation/ability to interact with calmodulin-dependent enzymes such as calcineurin & phosphorylase kinase to induce a response such as contraction, metabolism or transport
Chemical characterisitics of Phosphorus
- Majority of phosphorus stores in the body are found in bone as hydroxyapatite (80-90%)
- Preferred ionic state in solution is orthophosphate
- P likes to bind certain moelcules with high energy binding capacity so acts as buffering system to pick up excess ions
Biological function of Phosphate
- Bone mineralization
- Electrolyte homeostasis, acid-base balance
- Structural role
- energy storage and transfer (ATP)
- Second messenger
- Metabolic trapping reactions
- physiological buffer
How does phosphate act as a physiological buffer?
Has 2 main forms at pH 7.4 and is used by the body to prevent large changes in the pH of bodily fluid by taking H+ in the tubular fluid
Phosphate role in DNA structure
Phosphate alternates with pentose sugars to form linear backbone of nucleic acids DNA and RNA
* important for the helix
Phosphate role in ATP and energy release
Role in energy storage and transfer (includes nucleotides & derivatives)
* Molecules form high energy phosphate bonds used in intermediary metabolism such as those in ATP, creatine phosphate, UTP and GTP… Also NADP
Role of phosphate as a second messenger
- P is part of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) which is derived from ATP in response to hormone-receptor binding and activates protein kinases
- Many enzyme activities are controlled by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation
- P is part of Inositol triphosphate (IP3) which acts to trigger intracellular Ca2+ release as mediated by protein kinases
Describe Calcium absorption
Be able to draw
Typically only 20-30% effective
* major route is transcellular mostly in duodenum: saturable form that requires energy + channel + calbindin binding protein; it is stimulated by low Ca diets & calcitriol (genomic mechanism).
* Paracellular route mostly in the ileum/ jejunum: non-saturable form which is passive and concentration dependent
* 4-10% may be absorbed through colonic fermentation of fibres that release Ca2+
Describe phosphorus absorption
Be able to draw!
60-70% effective
* Absorbed linearly to intake, preference as HPO42-, mechanism similar to Ca2+ but little is known about the details
* Twice as efficient as Ca2+ absorption, responds to calcitriol but less so than Ca2
What are the 2 main hormones associated with Calcium and phosporus and where do they come from?
- calcitonin from thyroid gland (ventral)
- parathyroid hormone from parathyroid glands (dorsal)
When are PTH and calcitonin released?
- PTH: low Ca2+
- caltitonin: high Ca2+
How is PTH release controlled?
By plasma Ca2+ feedback mechanism
* controls PTH production and secretion
Where does PTH come from?
parathyroid hormone which is a peptide hormone produced by the parathyroid gland