Page 236 - The Miracle in the Cell Membrane

The Miracle in the Cell Membrane

Among the inorganic nutrients related to digestion
are water, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phos-
phate, sulphate, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and man-
ganese. A deficiency in the level of any one will cause
functions connected with those minerals not to take
place.
Along with playing major roles in biological systems,
metals that accumulate also have toxic effects. Therefore,
the absorbance of particular metals into the cells, and
their storage and expulsion by means of toxin disposal,
are all performed scrupulously so that the metals' rich
chemistry can be utilized. The provision of the right met-
als when needed, and the prevention of their accumulat-
ing to a potentially poisonous level are of the greatest
importance. Many conditions stem from disruptions of
the metal ion balance—including anemia, haemochro-
matosis, Menkes disease, Wilson's disease, nervous dis-
orders such as Alzheimer's disease, Friedrich's ataxia,
and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, micro-bacterial infec-
tions can easily occur due to defects in metal ion trans-
port.
Supervision of the metal balance is provided by pro-
teins that recognize and transport specific metals. These
proteins are able to distinguish the proper metal
from among the many present in the cellular
environment in higher amounts, and can iden-
tify metals whose quantities have declined or
accumulated. 75
All minerals have astonishingly different

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