Inorganic ions
Inorganic ions in animals and plants are ions necessary for vital cellular activity.[1] In body tissues, ions are also known as electrolytes, essential for the electrical activity needed to support muscle contractions and neuron activation. They contribute to osmotic pressure of body fluids as well as performing a number of other important functions. Below is a list of some of the most important ions for living things as well as examples of their functions:
- Hypocalcaemia.)
- Zn2+ - zinc ions are found in very small concentrations in the body, and their main purpose is that of an antioxidant; the zinc ions act as antioxidants both generally and for liver specific pro-oxidants.[2] Zinc ions can also act as an antioxidant-like stabilizer for some macro-molecules which bind zinc ions with high affinity, especially in cysteine-rich binding sites.[2] These binding sites use these zinc ions as a stabilizer to protein folds, making these protein motifs more rigid in structure. These structures include zinc fingers, and have several different conformations.[2]
- kidneys. (See Hypokalemia.)
- Sodium deficiency.)
- neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.[3]
- Magnesium deficiency (plants))
- Cl− – inability to transport chloride ions in humans manifests itself as cystic fibrosis (CF)
- CO2−
3 – the shells of sea creatures are calcium carbonate. In blood approximately 85% of carbon dioxide, is converted into aqueous carbonate ions (an acidic solution), allowing a greater rate of transportation. - myelin sheath in nerve cells.[6][3] Cobalt also plays a role in creating neurotransmitters, which are vital for proper function within the organism.[3]
- PO3−
4 – adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a common molecule which stores energy in an accessible form. Bone is calcium phosphate. - haemoglobin, the main oxygen carrying molecule has a central iron ion.
- NO−
3 – source of nitrogen in plants for the synthesis of proteins.
Biological functions of inorganic ions
Ion channels
K+ channels
Na+ channels
Cl− channels
Chloride ion channels vary from many other ion channels due to being controlled by the anionic chloride ions. Chloride ion channels are pore-forming membrane proteins that allow the passive transport of chloride ions across biological membranes.[9] Chloride ion channels involve both voltage-gated and ligand-gated mechanisms to transport the ions across cellular membranes.[9] Chloride ion channels have been found to play crucial roles in the development of human diseases, for example, mutations in the genes encoding chloride ion channels lead to a variety of deleterious diseases in muscle, kidney, bone, and brain, including cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, and epilepsy, and similarly their activation is supposed to be responsible for the progression of glioma in the brain and the growth of malaria-parasite in the red blood cells.[9] Currently, chloride ion channels are not completely understood, and more research is necessary.
See also
- Calcium in biology
- Magnesium in biology
- Inorganic anions in biology
- Phosphate in biology
- Chloride in biology
References
- ^ "Inorganic Ions". RSC.
- ^ PMID 2187766.
- ^ S2CID 46339844.
- ^ PMID 18708157.
- ^ PMID 17169330.
- PMID 19433266.
- ^ PMID 11463739.
- ^ PMID 9518722.
- ^ ISBN 9783642199226