Vitamin Bone growth

Vitamin D3 is a key compound m the process by which Ca " is absorbed from the mtes tine Low levels of vitamin D3 lead to Ca " concentrations m the body that are msuffi cient to support proper bone growth resulting m the bone disease called rickets... 

Vitamins A, D, and E are required by mminants and, therefore, their supplementation is sometimes necessary. Vitamin A [68-26-8] is important in maintaining proper vision, maintenance and growth of squamous epitheHal ceUs, and bone growth (23). Vitamin D [1406-16-2] is most important for maintaining proper calcium absorption from the small intestine. It also aids in mobilizing calcium from bones and in optimizing absorption of phosphoms from the small intestine (23). Supplementation of vitamins A and D at their minimum daily requirement is recommended because feedstuffs are highly variable in their content of these vitamins. 

Mechanism of Action A fat-soluble vitamin that may act as a cofactor in biochemical reactions. Therapeutic Effect Is essential for normal function of retina, visual adaptation to darkness, bone growth, and testicular and ovarian function preserves integrity of epithelial cells. 

Vitamin A, as retinal, has a clearly established role in vision (Chapter 23) and apparently has a specialized function in reproduction. In vitamin A deficiency no sperm cells are formed in males, and fetal resorption occurs in females. Rats deprived of vitamin Abut fed retinoic acid become blind and sterile but otherwise appear healthy.e bb Evidently either the alcohol or the aldehyde has an essential function in reproduction, whereas bone growth and maintenance of mucous secretions requires only retinoic acid. Indeed, retinoic acid is 100 to 1000 times more active than other forms of vitamin A in these differentiation functions.1 ... 

The principal physiological functions of tins vitamin include growth, production of visual purple, maintenance of skin and epithelial cells, resistance to infection, gluconeogenesis. mucopolysaccharide synthesis, bone development, maintenance of myelin and membranes, maintenance of color and peripheral vision, maintenance of adrenal cortex and steroid hormone synthesis, Specific vitamin A deficiency diseases include xerophthalmia, nyctalopia, hemeralopia, keratomalacia, and hyperkeratosis. 

As a brief introductory summary, vitamin D substances perform the following fundamental physiological functions (1) promote normal growth (via bone growth) (2) enhance calcium and phosphorus absorption from the intestine (3) serve to prevent rickets (4) increase tubular phosphorus reabsorpiion (5) increase citrate blood levels (6) maintain and activate alkaline phosphatase m bone (7) maintain serum calcium and phosphorus levels. A deficiency of D substances may be manifested in the form of rickets, osteomalacia, and hypoparathyroidism. Vitamin D substances are required by vertebrates, who synthesize these substances in the skin when under ultraviolet radiation, Animals requiring exogenous sources include infant vertebrates and deficient adult vertebrates, Included there are vitamin D (calciferol ergocalciferol) and vitamin D< (activated 7-dehydrocholesterol cholecalciferol). 

Vitamin D A fat-soluble compound found in milk and fish-liver oils that is required for tooth and bone growth. 

Q13 Osteomalacia and osteoporosis are complications of celiac disease. The mineral in bone is mainly calcium phosphate a supply of calcium is therefore needed for bone growth and replacement. Calcium is absorbed by active mechanisms in the duodenum and jejunum, facilitated by a metabolite of vitamin D. It is also passively absorbed in the ileum and specific calcium binding proteins are present in the intestinal epithelial cells. Loss of absorptive cells and calcium binding proteins markedly decreases calcium uptake and limits its availability for bone growth and repair. 

Bone is a relatively dynamic organ that undergoes significant turnover that is, hone resorption and deposition it is broken down hy osteoclasts and rebuilt by osteoblasts. Besides an adequate supply of calcium, a close cooperation is required between these two types of cell. Complex signalling pathways achieve proper rates of growth and differentiation these pathways include the action of several hormones, including parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, growth hormone, steroids and calcitonin, as well as several cytokines. 

Growth Vitamin A helps in the formation of chondritin sulfate in cartilage. In absence of Vitamin A, animal fails to grow, bone growth is slow. 

Foods may contain precursors of vitamin D as well as vitamin D. The precursors are converted to the vitamin following their absorption from the diet. T c body is a source of one of the precursors, 7-dehydnocholesteroL Conversion of the precursor to the vitamin form occurs in the skin. The major function of vitamin D is to maintain the concentration of calcium ions in the plasma. Maintenance of these concentrations is vital for normal functioning of the nervous system and for the growth of bones and the maintenance of bone mass. Although vitamin D is closely associated with bone growth, it is thought that the relationship is only indirect. T he vitamin stimulates the absorption of dietary calcium by the gut, but it seems not to stimulate the subsequent deposit of calcium in the bone. 

Underwood, j. L, and DeLuca, H. K (1984). Vitamin D is not directly necessary for bone growth and mineralization. Ant.). Physiol. 246, E493-E4S18. 

Vitamin A is used for treatment of acne and other skin disorders. It helps to maintain epithelial tissue, eyes, hair, and bone growth. Excess vitamin A causes a toxic effect. Vitamin A is stored in the liver for up to 2 years and can result in inadvertent toxicity. Vitamin A-caused birth defects can occur if greater than 6000 international units (IU) are taken during the pregnancy. 

Mineralization is the precipitation of calcium phosphate, but biochemical mediation of this process is not fully understood. In this chapter, the chemistry underlying mineralization (Sect. 1) and the structures ofbones and teeth (Sect. 2) are described. Osteoblasts secrete osteoid matrix and matrix vesicles that transport type I collagen and calcium phosphate, respectively, to the matrix where they will mineralize. Secreted matrix vesicles take up calcium and phosphate until they burst and release the calcium phosphate, which then redissolves and remineralizes around the type I collagen (Sect. 3). Glycoproteins involved in correctly modeling bone and dentin, and the role of osteocalcin in limiting excessive bone growth is then discussed (Sect. 4). There follows a detailed description of enamel (E) mineralization and of the major proteins involved (Sect. 5) followed by two summaries the difference between enamel and bone mineralization, and the vitamins required for mineralization (Sect. 6). 

---