Zinc is an essential trace element for many living organisms. While this can be said about other essential metals, zinc is unique in its physiochemical properties that give it the ability to interact with donor groups of different ligands, resulting in a broad range of stability constants and diversity of the biological functions and processes that zinc is involved in. It was discovered and recognized as a new metal in the eightieth century, While its biological essentiality was found by Raulin for the growth of Aspergillus niger In 1869 [1]. In 1933 Zinc was found essential for the growth of animals while studying its effect on rats. [2]
The importance of zinc for the human body was not known till the mid-60s when Prasad AS discovered zinc
…show more content…
Mainly this deficiency occurs due to insufficient zinc intake or insufficient absorption from food.[7]
2. Physiological roles of zinc:
Zinc is present in all body tissues and fluids, with a total content ranging from (1.5-2.5gm) [8]. It has a key role in the normal physiology of the human body with various functions as a catalytic and structural component of various proteins[9]. Furthermore, It works as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent and signaling mediator contributing to its vital roles in immunity, wound healing, and tissue repair.[10, 11]
2.1. Zinc in proteins:
Zinc is a cofactor in over 300 metalloproteins including RNA and DNA polymerase, thus indispensable part for protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, and cell growth. Zinc proteins are estimated to be around about 10% of the human proteome.[12] The essentiality of zinc in the formation of enzymes was first demonstrated in 1940 when zinc was found in the composition of the carbon anhydrase enzyme [13], ever since studies have been carried out on different classes of enzymes and proteins to understand the role of zinc in composition and functions of
Living organisms undergo chemical reactions with the help of unique proteins known as enzymes. Enzymes significantly assist in these processes by accelerating the rate of reaction in order to maintain life in the organism. Without enzymes, an organism would not be able to survive as long, because its chemical reactions would be too slow to prolong life. The properties and functions of enzymes during chemical reactions can help analyze the activity of the specific enzyme catalase, which can be found in bovine liver and yeast. Our hypothesis regarding enzyme activity is that the aspects of biology and environmental factors contribute to the different enzyme activities between bovine liver and yeast.
According to recent statistics, zinc is the third most commonly used nonferrous metal in the United States. This unassuming metal was among the first minerals exploited by Man, used as a decorative material for thousands of years, although it never achieved the fame and notoriety of other metals such as gold or silver. In more recent times, new extraction and processing methods have allowed Man to produce higher-quality zinc than ever before, and to use it in an astonishingly high number of chemical and high-tech applications.
J.C. Biro, B. Benyó, C. Sansom, Á. Szlávecz, G. Fördös, T. Micsik, and Z. Benyó; A common periodic table of codons and amino acids. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 306 (2003) 408–415.
High oxidative a stress is known to cause global cellular damage by creating reactive oxygen species (ROS) which causes damage to proteins, lipids and DNA (15, 82). Oxidative stress increases protein phosphorylation, causing changes to signaling pathways. For example, several phosphatases involved in cancer, apoptosis and aging are inactivated under conditions of high oxidative stress (26). ROS is a known contributor to several diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, kidney disease, and T2DM (25, 27, 105). Known mediators of oxidative stress include transition metals and mitochondrial dysfunction (15, 27). In this project, I will be studying how cellular iron regulation causes an increase in oxidative stress, contributing to cellular damage and disease. Aconitase is an important mediator of oxidative stress, metabolism and iron regulation.
Oxidative stress is essentially defined as the imbalance in the equilibrium of antioxidants systems in the human body. Oxidative damage in aerobic organisms can be caused by certain molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). These reactive species are ones that cause oxidative damage in biomolecules. In order to maintain equilibrium of these substances, the human body has various endogenous antioxidants and phase 2 proteins which have evolved to defend against any harmful effects of ROS or any other reactive species. In normal physiological conditions, a balance is maintained between the ROS production and their detoxification by the appropriate antioxidants and phases 2 proteins. (Uttara, Singh, Zamboni & Mahajan, 2009). Oxidative stress can occur due too many pathological conditions, when the balance of prooxidants and antioxidants is disturbed oxidative damage could accumulate in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids. In severe cases these events can lead to cell death. The process can directly alter the antioxidant systems by either inducing or inhibiting the proteins which take part in these systems. Moreover it can also cause the depletion of storage of antioxidants such as glutathione, vitamin E and many more in cells. (Thomas 2006). Antioxidants are defined as any substance which has the ability to inhibit, reduce or repair the damage as a result of an ROS in a biomolecule. The general three mechanisms that are used by antioxidants include the inhibition of ROS generation, the repair of damage induced by ROS and scavenging for ROS molecules. Since ROS plays a precarious role in both physiology and pathophysiology in the human body, it is vital that the endogenous antioxidants and phase prote...
Iron is called a trace mineral, but its effects are mighty. We need it to produce hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier in red blood cells that brings oxygen to the rest of the body. Iron is also needed to produce myoglobin, the oxygen reservoir in the muscle cells.
Dietary supplements are very beneficial to one’s body if they are taken correctly. There are many pros and cons to taking dietary supplements. In this paper I will discuss the pros and cons and how supplements affect the human body. We will also consider the government’s guidelines regarding dietary supplements.
Mr. Cronstedt discovered nickel in a mineral called niccolite. He originally planned to extract copper from this new mineral but got none at all. This is why nickel, at first, was called "false copper". Instead, Cronstedt got a silvery-white metal, which was eventually used for other things.
Iron is an essential part of a healthy diet. Iron compounds are employed for medicinal purposes in the treatment of anemia, when the amount of hemoglobin or the number of red blood corpuscles in the blood is lowered.
The third is not a myth, it’s a fact, and it states that Zinc can help cure the common cold.. “A review of the research by the nonprofit Cochrane collaboration found that zinc lozenges or syrup shorten the duration of cold by day if the zinc was taken within 24 hours of the first cold symptom, however, zinc can actually impair the immune system are taken in high doses.” Cochrane collaboration advises to take 75 mg of zinc on the first day of cold with caution. They warn people to stay away from zinc nasal sprays, in which, they can cause permanent anosmia Which is a permanent loss of smell. Airborne and other formulas that contain a mismatch of vitamins and minerals that were once purported to cure a cold. No evidence supports that these formulas
Varying the n value carries out the experiment. Absorbencies of each of the ZLn complexes are obtained. The sum of the concentrations of the metal, Z, and the ligand, L, are kept equal. With the ratio of the ligand to the metal in the solution with the maximum absorbance for the ZLn complex, the value of n can be determined as well as the composition of ZLn.
It was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in England, in 1807. Sir Davy was able to isolate potassium using electrolysis. Potassium was the first metal isolated by this procedure. Today, it is still not found free in nature. It is obtained by electrolysis of chloride or hydroxide.
The enzyme used in this lab is catalase. Catalase has a molecular weight of approximately 240,000 daltons and contains four polypeptide chains, each composed of more than 500 amino acids. This enzyme occurs universally in aerobic organisms. One function of catalase within cells is to prevent the accu...
Selenium is often used in the production of stainless steel, energy converters, photo copy machines and surprisingly, medical use. In fact, selenium is very beneficial to the human body and is essential to our everyday lives. It is a mineral that protects the elasticity in body tissues, decreases/slows down the aging process, and as well as enhances the flow of oxygen to the heart. In addition, selenium aids the body with producing special proteins called antioxidant enzymes which decrease and/or prevent cell damage.
Ions are critical to human health. As defined by Dictionary.com, an ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of one or more electrons. The human body is the most intricate of ‘designs,’ despite the fact it is composed of basic natural resources called elements. The ions discussed in this paper include oxygen, carbon, potassium, and sulfur. A healthy body is composed of these ions, along with others (zinc, fluoride, iron, etc.). The absence of these elements could lead to an unhealthy body, and make it an easier target for diseases. The chemical formulas, charges, and properties will also be discussed in this document. Also, addressed is the essential role of the ion presented, the way in which the ion serves the body, the diseases that may result from deficiency, and the global distribution of these deficiencies. Ions are an essential part of human health. The ions that are present make the body’s daily functions possible, allowing it to be protected from cruel bacteria or diseases.