1. Prevention of vascular calcification: is pyrophosphate therapy a solution? 
Veerle P. Persy, Marc D. McKee 
Kidney International 
Volume 79, Issue 5, Pages (March 2011)
DOI: /ki
Copyright © 2011 International Society of Nephrology Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
Schematic representation of the central role of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase in determining the ratio of phosphate to pyrophosphate and the balance between mineralization induction and inhibition. In vascular cells, low tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity results in an abundant inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) level, which inhibits extracellular matrix mineralization, whereas in bone cells, high TNAP activity removes PPi, thus allowing the mineralization process to proceed. In uremia, pathologic TNAP upregulation that degrades inhibitory PPi is one of the factors contributing to vascular calcification. Pi, inorganic phosphate.
Kidney International  , DOI: ( /ki )
Copyright © 2011 International Society of Nephrology Terms and Conditions