[Vascular Calcification - Pathological Mechanism and Clinical Application - . Vascular calcification in klotho deficient environment].

Klotho deficient (kl/kl) mice exhibit Möncheberg's vascular calcification in the tunica media due to hyperphosphatemia and hypercalcemia by mediating the disrupted signaling of FGF23/klotho axis. Recent studies have hypothesized the mechanism of medial vascular calcification : Vascular smooth muscle cells acquired excessive intake of phosphate ions undergo a phenotypic differentiation into osteoblasts and induce biological calcification in the tunica media. It is useful to clarify the underlying cellular mechanism of vascular calcification for the development of the treatment and preventive medicine. This review will introduce the histological and ultrastructual findings on medial vascular calcification in kl/kl mice.