CYP27B1 and calcification: Thus, increases in blood P have been shown to be associated with vascular calcification both in patients and in experimental animals.[31] Furthermore, a recent paper from our laboratory has shown that the upregulation of local CYP27B1 in the vascular smooth muscle cells is of paramount importance in the genesis of uremic vascular calcification.[17] Thus, in KO animals the absence of CYP27B1 blocks the increase in vascular calcification.