Classical and novel regulatory factors of phosphate metabolism

Abstract

Phosphate is the main chemical compounds of phosphorus in the human body. It is essential both for the skeletal development and for bone mineralization. In addition, phosphate is involve in several biochemical processes, such as energetic metabolism, signaling pathways and control of enzyme activity. Phosphate homeostasis is complex and it is principally regulated by the common action of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and the recently identified FGF23 on gut, kidney and bone. In this review the well known concepts of normal phosphate physiology are revised and the FGF23 role on its homeostasis is described. Furthermore, some disorders associated with abnormal FGF23 blood levels are discussed.