Super pharmacological levels of calcitriol (1,25-(OH)2 D3) inhibits mineral deposition and decreases cell proliferation in a strain dependent manner in chicken mesenchymal stem cells undergoing osteogenic differentiation in vitro

The biologically active form of vitamin D3, calcitriol (1,25-(OH)2 D3), plays a key role in mineral homeostasis and bone formation and dietary vitamin D3 deficiency is a major cause of bone disorders in poultry. Supplementary dietary cholecalciferol (25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25-OH), the precursor of calcitriol, is commonly employed to combat this problem; however, dosage must be carefully determined as excess dietary vitamin D can cause toxicity...