Endocrine Disorders of Calcium Signaling in Children: Neuroendocrine Crosstalk and Clinical Implications
Calcium ions (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) serve as universal second messengers regulating endocrine, neuronal, and metabolic processes. In children and adolescents, tight calcium signaling control is crucial for growth, hormone homeostasis, neuromuscular function, and neurodevelopment. Disruptions in Ca<sup>2+</sup>-dependent pathways-whether genetic, metabolic, or acquired-underlie a spectrum of pediatric endocrine diseases often presenting with neurological manifestations This review summarizes calcium's roles in hormone secretion, parathyroid and vitamin D metabolism, and neuronal excitability, and discusses monogenic and metabolic disorders affecting calcium sensing and signaling, including <i>CASR</i>, <i>GNA11</i>, <i>AP2S1</i>, <i>STIM1</i>, and <i>ORAI1</i> mutations. Diagnostic challenges, therapeutic strategies, and future directions for precision medicine in pediatric neuroendocrinology are highlighted, emphasizing early recognition and improved clinical outcomes.
Authors
- Marcello Niceta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4766-7753)
- Roberto Paparella (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7020-1471)
- Vittorio Maglione (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6906-7372)
- Arianna Bei
- Marco Fiore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6806-9715)
- Ida Pucarelli
- Lavinia Marchetti
- Irene Bernabei
- Norma Iafrate
- Luigi Tarani
- Anna Zambrano
- Francesca Pastore
- Mauro Celli
Institutions
- Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IT)
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cells
- Published
- 2026-01-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15020140
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Parathyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 34.94