Extracellular pyrophosphate: The body's "water softener".
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31954851.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115243.
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Abstract
Extracellular pyrophosphate (ePP<sub>i</sub>) was first identified as a key endogenous inhibitor of mineralisation in the 1960's by Fleisch and colleagues. The main source of ePP<sub>i</sub> seems to be extracellular ATP which is continually released from cells in a controlled way. ATP is rapidly broken down by enzymes including ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterases to produce ePP<sub>i</sub>. The major function of ePP<sub>i</sub> is to directly inhibit hydroxyapatite formation and growth meaning that this simple molecule acts as the body's own "water softener". However, studies have also shown that ePP<sub>i</sub> can influence gene expression and regulate its own production and breakdown. This review will summarise our current knowledge of ePP<sub>i</sub> metabolism and how it acts to prevent pathological soft tissue calcification and regulate physiological bone mineralisation.
Medical subject headings
- Calcinosis
- Diphosphates
- Pyrophosphatases