The biochemical basis of renal osteodystrophy and post-menopausal osteoporosis: a view from the vitamin D system.

The vitamin D endocrine system is now known to play an essential role in the regulation of plasma calcium and phosphorus concentrations and in overall organismal calcium economy. These two basic functions of the vitamin D endocrine system have provided important new insight into several disease states. The two disease states discussed here are the genesis of renal osteodystrophy and of post-menopausal osteoporosis. It seems likely that defects of alternations in the vitamin D system play important roles in the development of these disease states. Successful treatment undoubtedly will involve the vitamin D system and most likely the active form of vitamin D, 1,25- (OH)2D3.