madman
Super Moderator
6. Conclusion
Both the bone and the kidney play a crucial and interrelated role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis, referred to as the bone kidney axis. Even though it is well recognized that calcium and phosphate represent crucial components of the bone matrix and the effects of sex steroids on skeletal development and homeostasis have been extensively demonstrated, little is known about the mechanisms of sex steroid action in the regulation of renal calcium and phosphate handling and the role of sex steroids on the kidney bone axis. The presence, abundance, and exact localization of sex steroid receptors within the kidney is still debated. Moreover, in order to study the effects of sex steroids on renal calcium and phosphate handling, indirect effects via the bone and intestine should be accounted for, which was not the case in previous studies and represents a drawback.
By gaining more insight in the direct effects of sex steroids on renal calcium and phosphate handling, new strategies could be developed for the treatment of several disorders related to calcium and phosphate imbalances, such as vascular calcification, chronic kidney disease, or osteoporosis. However, a lot of research is still necessary in this field. The development of kidney-specific AR and ER knockout mice represents a first and feasible step to improve our insight into the direct versus indirect effects of sex steroids on calcium and phosphate handling and the bone kidney axis.
Both the bone and the kidney play a crucial and interrelated role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis, referred to as the bone kidney axis. Even though it is well recognized that calcium and phosphate represent crucial components of the bone matrix and the effects of sex steroids on skeletal development and homeostasis have been extensively demonstrated, little is known about the mechanisms of sex steroid action in the regulation of renal calcium and phosphate handling and the role of sex steroids on the kidney bone axis. The presence, abundance, and exact localization of sex steroid receptors within the kidney is still debated. Moreover, in order to study the effects of sex steroids on renal calcium and phosphate handling, indirect effects via the bone and intestine should be accounted for, which was not the case in previous studies and represents a drawback.
By gaining more insight in the direct effects of sex steroids on renal calcium and phosphate handling, new strategies could be developed for the treatment of several disorders related to calcium and phosphate imbalances, such as vascular calcification, chronic kidney disease, or osteoporosis. However, a lot of research is still necessary in this field. The development of kidney-specific AR and ER knockout mice represents a first and feasible step to improve our insight into the direct versus indirect effects of sex steroids on calcium and phosphate handling and the bone kidney axis.
