Clinical aspect of recent progress in phosphate metabolism. Clinical usefulness of measurement of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)

Abstract

Through the studies of patients with hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia, FGF23 has emerged as a humoral factor that reduces serum phosphate. Discovery of FGF23 as an essential regulator of phosphate homeostasis has markedly improved our understanding of phosphate homeostasis and hypophosphatemic or hyperphosphatemic disorders. Measurement of circulatory FGF23 levels seems to be useful for diagnosis of these disorder. Novel therapeutic methods for these disorder may be developed by elucidation of the mechanism of action of FGF23.