Vascular calcification is an abnormal process in which bone specific hydroxyapatite crystals are actively deposited on the vascular wall mediated by phenotypic differentiated smooth muscle cells and other mesenchymal cells under various pathological conditions. It is one of the important characteristics in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis, prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease, especially those requiring maintenance hemodialysis, with severely threatening human health. Previous studies have shown that the early diagnosis and control of vascular calcification is of great significance for cardiovascular risk stratification, prevention of acute cardiovascular events, which can greatly improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients. Galectins are a family of lectin superfamily. It is widely distributed in various animals and plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes, such as cell adhesion, apoptosis, inflammatory response, tumor metastasis and so on. Many biomarker-and association-related studies and Preclinical-mechanistic studies have suggested that galactose-specific lectin-3 (galectin-3) plays an important role in vascular calcification and vascular intimal calcification (VIC) calcification induced by Wnt/βcatenin signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. This paper mainly expounds the role and mechanism of galectin-3 in vascular calcification under different pathological conditions including atherosclerosis, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

血管钙化是一种异常过程，其中骨特异性羟基磷灰石晶体在各种病理条件下在表型分化的平滑肌细胞和其他间充质细胞的介导下活跃地沉积在血管壁上。它是动脉粥样硬化发生发展的重要特征之一，多见于2型糖尿病和晚期慢性肾脏病患者，尤其是需要维持性血液透析的患者，严重威胁着人类健康。前期研究表明，血管钙化的早期诊断和控制对于心血管危险分层、急性心血管事件的预防具有重要意义，可大大改善患者的预后和生活质量。半乳糖凝集素是凝集素超家族的一个家族。它广泛分布于各种动物体内，在细胞粘附、凋亡、炎症反应、肿瘤转移等许多生理病理过程中起着重要作用。许多生物标志物相关研究和临床前机制研究表明，半乳糖特异性凝集素 3 (galectin-3) 在 Wnt/βcatenin 信号通路诱导的血管钙化和血管内膜钙化 (VIC) 钙化中起重要作用， NF-κB信号通路和ERK1/2信号通路。本文主要阐述半乳糖凝集素3在动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、慢性肾脏病等不同病理状态下血管钙化中的作用及机制。如细胞粘附、凋亡、炎症反应、肿瘤转移等。许多生物标志物相关研究和临床前机制研究表明，半乳糖特异性凝集素 3 (galectin-3) 在 Wnt/βcatenin 信号通路诱导的血管钙化和血管内膜钙化 (VIC) 钙化中起重要作用， NF-κB信号通路和ERK1/2信号通路。本文主要阐述半乳糖凝集素3在动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、慢性肾脏病等不同病理状态下血管钙化中的作用及机制。如细胞粘附、凋亡、炎症反应、肿瘤转移等。许多生物标志物相关研究和临床前机制研究表明，半乳糖特异性凝集素 3 (galectin-3) 在 Wnt/βcatenin 信号通路诱导的血管钙化和血管内膜钙化 (VIC) 钙化中起重要作用， NF-κB信号通路和ERK1/2信号通路。本文主要阐述半乳糖凝集素3在动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、慢性肾脏病等不同病理状态下血管钙化中的作用及机制。许多生物标志物相关研究和临床前机制研究表明，半乳糖特异性凝集素 3 (galectin-3) 在 Wnt/βcatenin 信号通路诱导的血管钙化和血管内膜钙化 (VIC) 钙化中起重要作用， NF-κB信号通路和ERK1/2信号通路。本文主要阐述半乳糖凝集素3在动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、慢性肾脏病等不同病理状态下血管钙化中的作用及机制。许多生物标志物相关研究和临床前机制研究表明，半乳糖特异性凝集素 3 (galectin-3) 在 Wnt/βcatenin 信号通路诱导的血管钙化和血管内膜钙化 (VIC) 钙化中起重要作用， NF-κB信号通路和ERK1/2信号通路。本文主要阐述半乳糖凝集素3在动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、慢性肾脏病等不同病理状态下血管钙化中的作用及机制。