Copper in serum

Copper is one of the most important essential micronutrients necessary for human life. In the adult body contains 1.57-3.14 mmol of copper, and half of this amount falls on muscles and bones, 10% - on liver tissue. The daily requirement of

in copper is 1-2 mg. A key role in the exchange of copper is played by the liver. Reference values ​​of copper concentration in blood serum are presented in Table.[Tiz U., 1997].

Table Reference values ​​for serum copper concentration

Table Reference values ​​for copper concentration in serum

Most of the incoming copper is excreted with feces, excretion in the urine is very insignificant. Copper participates in biochemical processes as an integral part of electron transfer proteins, which carry out the reactions of oxidation of substrates with molecular oxygen. A number of enzymes contain up to 4 copper ions and more.

Ceruloplasmin, a multifunctional protein with activity of ferroxidase, aminoxidase and, in part, superoxide dismutase, plays an important role in copper metabolism. Copper in the blood serum is present exclusively in the form associated with ceruloplasmin( 95%) and albumin( 5%).

Copper has a pronounced anti-inflammatory property, softens the manifestation of autoimmune diseases, such as, for example, rheumatoid arthritis. The deficiency of copper is reflected in the lipid composition of the blood plasma: the content of cholesterol, TG and phospholipids is increased due to the inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. In addition, copper is a part of apo-B and is necessary for its transfer into a soluble form, copper deficiency causes structural changes in apo-B and thus makes it difficult to bind with a receptor protein. Insufficiency of copper is manifested by various metabolic disorders, which are presented in Table.and 4-43.Excess copper in the body leads to a deficiency of zinc and molybdenum.

Insufficient intake of copper in the body of children underlies 3 clinical syndromes.

■ Anemia( in infants fed mainly with fresh or dried cow's milk), anorexia and low copper levels in the blood.

■ Neutropenia, chronic or intermittent diarrhea, decreased copper concentration and ceruloplasmin activity in the blood, impaired calcification of bones, anemia( due to a violation of iron ferritin use).

■ Menkes syndrome( the result of a genetically determined copper suction defect).

Table Metabolic disorders in copper deficiency

Table Metabolic disorders in copper deficiency

Table Major diseases, syndromes, signs of deficiency and excess copper