Calcitonin
Calcitonin - Related Videos
00:51
Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
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2025
Calcitonin, a vital polypeptide hormone, regulates calcium levels within body fluids. It is released by the parafollicular cells, also known as C cells, situated in the follicular epithelium of the thyroid gland. Calcitonin responds to fluctuations in blood calcium levels and the influence of gastrointestinal hormones like gastrin and cholecystokinin. The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
08:39
Ex Vivo Release of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide from the Trigeminovascular System in Rodents
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Cited by 4 •
2022
The present protocol describes the ex vivo calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release model and the strategy to quantify the effect of pharmacological agents on the amount of CGRP released from the trigeminovascular system in rodents.
07:28
Visualizing the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Immunoreactive Innervation of the Rat Cranial Dura Mater with Immunofluorescence and Neural Tracing
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Cited by 3 •
2021
Here we present a protocol to visualize spatial correlation of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive nerve fibers and blood vessels in the cranial dura mater using immunofluorescence and fluorescent histochemistry with CGRP and phalloidin, respectively. In addition, the origin of these nerve fibers was retrograde traced with a fluorescent neural tracer.
07:14
Detection and Quantification of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) in Human Plasma Using a Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Cited by 4 •
2023
Published data pertaining to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentrations in human plasma are inconsistent. These inconsistencies may be due to the lack of a standardized, validated methodology to quantify this neuropeptide. Here, we describe a validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol to purify and quantify CGRP in human plasma.
08:40
Photo-Induced Cross-Linking of Unmodified Proteins (PICUP) Applied to Amyloidogenic Peptides
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Cited by 91 •
2009
Photo-induced cross-linking of unmodified proteins (PICUP) allows characterization of oligomer size distribution in metastable protein mixtures. We demonstrate application of PICUP to three representative amyloidogenic peptides the 40- and 42-residue forms of amyloid β-protein, and calcitonin, and a control peptide growth-hormone releasing factor.
FAQs
When blood calcium rises, calcitonin release creates two coordinated effects: it reduces osteoclast activity through receptor binding and increases renal calcium excretion. Together, these actions lower circulating calcium, although the decrease is described as modest. This response demonstrates how an endocrine signal can adjust mineral levels through both skeletal and kidney-related mechanisms.
Targeting osteoclasts links calcitonin to bone remodeling. These cells participate in bone resorption, so reducing their activity limits that component of skeletal turnover. The mechanism matters because it connects a change in blood calcium to a tissue-level response in bone, rather than treating mineral balance as a process controlled only by the kidneys.
Calcitonin connects calcium regulation with phosphate balance mainly through processes involving bone and the kidneys. Its documented actions are reducing osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and promoting renal calcium excretion. The supplied context does not specify a separate phosphate-specific pathway, so the hormone is best understood here as part of broader mineral homeostasis.
Laboratory measurement of calcitonin supports evaluation of medullary thyroid carcinoma. In this context, testing serves as a clinical assessment tool rather than a direct measure of bone resorption or renal calcium excretion. Its relevance comes from connecting hormone analysis with investigation of a specific thyroid malignancy.
Therapeutic calcitonin formulations have been used when limiting bone loss is a goal or when managing conditions associated with elevated calcium levels. These uses apply the hormone's physiological actions in a clinical setting, translating reduced osteoclast-mediated resorption and increased renal calcium excretion into treatment objectives. The overview does not specify particular formulations or dosing procedures.
In biology, calcitonin provides a concrete example of endocrine control of mineral homeostasis and bone remodeling. A change in circulating calcium triggers hormone release, and target tissues respond through receptor-mediated effects. Studying this sequence helps connect glandular secretion, cell-specific signaling, skeletal turnover, kidney handling of calcium, and maintenance of internal conditions.