[The mechanisms of medial vascular calcification].

Vascular calcification is an active, invertible and highly regulated pathophysiological process, characterized by the deposition of hydroxyapatite crystal in vascular wall. Vascular calcification is classified into two types based on the sites of calcification: intimal atherosclerotic calcification and Mönckeberg's medial calcification. Medial vascular calcification is a pathological phenomenon commonly existed in diabetes, chronic kidney failure and aging. The current review summarizes the mechanisms of medial vascular calcification.