Trace Elements in Living Systems: From Beneficial to Toxic Effects
1Medical University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
2Wrocław University of Technology, Wrocław, Poland
3Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Trace Elements in Living Systems: From Beneficial to Toxic Effects
Description
Biomaterials are widely used in medicine because of their desired properties. They have found a wide variety of applications: from hip prostheses, orthodontic appliances, prosthetic restorations, implants, and metallic plates (fracture repair) to surgical screws. Some of those materials are inserted for short period of time and others for a lifetime.
It is known that there is no fully biocompatible material. Each alloy interacts with surrounding tissues, which may result in the release of trace element ions from metal alloys of biomaterials.
There are several techniques to evaluate the potential toxicity of trace elements in living systems: in vitro and in vivo, from laboratory elution tests, through molecular biology trials, animal studies, ending with human usage tests.
On the other hand, trace elements can be also considered nutritional elements, micronutrients. They perform many important functions in living organisms. Deficiency of those nutrients is called “hidden hunger.” For this reason, fertilizers, feed, and food products should supply the required dose of microelements. Particularly designed formulations are elaborated and new strategies of feed and food biofortification are being implemented.
Of particular interest will be papers that explore various concepts related with advantages and disadvantages of the presence of trace elements in living organisms. On one hand trace elements are nutritive; on the other hand, in excessive dose they can pose toxic effects. There are several sources from which living organisms can be exposed to trace elements: diet, environment, and biomaterials. Therefore it is important to assess the exposure to trace elements by in vitro and in vivo approach.
We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that seek to address the problem proposed in the topic of this special issue. Original and high quality contributions are welcome.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Trace elements in living systems: risks and benefits
- Metal ions release from biomaterials in human
- Trace elements in medical alloys
- In vitro and in vivo methods of trace elements toxicity assessment
- Exposure of human to trace elements from different sources
- Various techniques of trace elements biomonitoring: invasive and noninvasive matrices
- Trace elements in nutrition of plants, animals, and human
- Biofortification of food with trace elements
- Fertilizers with trace elements