Summary

• Calcium and phosphate are essential for growth and development
• Both are incorporated into bone, teeth and red blood cells, and involved in neuromuscular function and hormone secretion
• Phosphate is incorporated into intracellular compounds such as ATP and cyclic AMP and consequently plays a key role in energy production
• Calcium and phosphate are necessary for contraction of cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscle
• Calcium is involved in red blood cell production
• Calcium is required for normal nerve function and plays a role in regulating the electrical polarity of the cell membrane as well as the secretion of neurotransmitters at the synapse and neuromuscular junction