The vitamin D receptor is present in most tissues and cells within the body. 1,25(OH)D2 has a wide range of functions within the body. One of these functions includes inhibiting cellular proliferation and inducing terminal differentiation, inhibiting angiogenesis and renin production, stimulating insulin production and macrophage cathelicidin production.
1,25(OH)D
2 also stimulates its own destruction by enhancing the expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D -24-OHase to metabolize 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)D
2 into water soluble inactive forms.