Calcimimetics--fooling the calcium receptor.

The cloning and characterization of a calcium-sensing receptor from bovine parathyroid cells has opened up the possibility of modulating the activity of this receptor protein by organic small molecules, either increasing the sensitivity for calcium (calcimimetics) or decreasing the sensitivity (calciolytics), thus suppressing or stimulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion and synthesis, respectively. In primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism, calcimimetics have proven to effectively lower the PTH concentration with minimal side effects. In secondary hyperparathyroidism, a specific advantage is the concomitant lowering of serum calcium and phosphate concentrations.