Parathyroid gland

Calcium

Endocrinology

Cortical bone

Bone remodeling

Anatomy

Anabolism

Internal medicine

Hypoparathyroidism

Vitamin D and neurology

Parathyroid hormone

Medicine

Osteoporosis

Calcium metabolism

Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the major secretory product of the parathyroid glands, and in hypocalcemic conditions, can enhance renal calcium reabsorption, increase active vitamin D production to increase intestinal calcium absorption, and mobilize calcium from bone by increasing turnover, mainly but not exclusively in cortical bone. PTH has therefore found clinical use as replacement therapy in hypoparathyroidism. PTH also may have a physiologic role in augmenting bone formation, particularly in trabecular and to some extent in cortical bone. This action has been applied to the clinic to provide anabolic therapy for osteoporosis.

Physiology of Parathyroid Hormone