[Current Topics on Vitamin D. Evolution of animals and vitamin D].

Vitamin D3 is already found in the early evolution of life, but essentially as inactive products of the photochemical reaction of 7-dehydrocholesterol. The full vitamin D endocrine system characterized by the specific vitamin D transport protein (DBP) , specific vitamin D-metabolizing CYP P450 enzymes, active vitamin D metabolites, 1α,25 (OH) 2D3, specific vitamin D nuclear receptor (VDR), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) became essential for maintaining calcium and bone homeostasis in terrestrial animals cope with the challenging of higher gravity and calcium-poor environment. The present review describes the story about the evolution of animals and vitamin D.