Molucular mechanism of vitamin D actions

Abstract

Vitamin D has roles in a variety of biological actions such as calcium homeostasis, cell proliferation and cell differentiation in many target tissues. Most of such biological actions of vitamin D are now considered to be exerted through nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) -mediated control of target genes. VDR belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily and acts as a ligand-inducible transcription factor. For the ligand-induced transctivation of VDR, the coactivator complexes have been recently shown essential. The function of VDR as a ligand-induced transcription factor is overviewed.