Endocrine Abstracts

Medial calcification is a major cause of premature cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) play a key role in this process and studies have suggested a protective role for vitamin D. The exact mechanism for this is unclear but local synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) may be important. Production of 1,25D from 25-hydroxvitamin D (25D) is catalyzed by 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1α-hydroxylase (1α-OHase). 1,25D is metab...