Calcitonin and phosphate.

This report summarizes the relationship of calcitonin to phosphate. The hypocalcemic action of calcitonin is dependent upon phosphate, while the hypophosphatemic action is independent of calcium. Calcitonin moves phosphate into bone cells and bone fluid in contrast to reducing the movement of calcium from bone to blood. Calcitonin acts rapidly and at low doses on the osteocytes and lining cells at bone surfaces. Morphological changes can be identified within 7 min. This action causes the accumulation of an electron-dense material both in bone lining cells and their microenvironment. It is postulated that both the hypocalcemic action of calcitonin and its ability to cause an accumulation of material at bone surfaces may result from the movement of phosphate into these areas. The biochemical action which could produce the phosphate movement is unknown. The possibility is suggested that calcitonin increases phosphate transport into bone cells.