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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting the motor cortex and brain stem nuclei, leading to muscle atrophy, and sometimes language problems, behavioral changes and executive disfunction. Cytoskeletal defects leading to impaired neuronal transport, changes in RNA metabolism resulting in protein aggregates, impaired autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction all serve as cellular … Read more

Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease most commonly characterized through the formation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and the development of neurofibrillary tangles caused by the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein. Both of these pathways ultimately result in the formation of protein aggregates that lead to the degeneration and loss of neurons. Zinc plays a role … Read more

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, organs that work together to protect the body against bacteria, viruses, fungus, cancer cells and many other pathogens or external agents with the capacity to cause damage to the body. One of the first lines of defense for this complex system are macrophages. They are … Read more

Iron is an important transition element and it is essential for several biological processes due to its inherent redox properties, like oxygen and electron transport, and are required by several enzymes. Iron is present in the circulation bound to the plasma iron carrier protein transferrin. Under iron overload conditions iron can also exist in the … Read more

This research article studies the effects of deletion of Slc39a14 (zip14), a known manganese importer into the enterocytes and hepatocytes(Fig. 1), has on manganese homeostasis in the body. This study researches whole body zip14 knockout and intestine localized knockout of zip14 in mice. They then tested how manganese levels in the mice were affected and … Read more

Manganese is an essential nutrient attained through diet. While manganese is a necessary nutrient, it is toxic in excess. An excess of Manganese can result in a neurodegenerative disease called manganism. Manganism is generally the result of excessive manganese inhalation, mostly in work environments. However, in 2012 an inherited case of Slc30a10 mutation was identified … Read more

Zinc (Zn) is an extremely important mineral and nutrient found throughout our body. It plays many key roles on physiological and molecular scales. On a physiological level Zn plays a role in the immune system, in metabolism, in wound healing, and helps with our sense of taste and smell. On a molecular level, Zn is … Read more

Glucose metabolism is a crucial cellular process that produces a significant amount of energy for the cell. When this process is not regulated, it can have adverse effects, including hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and increased fat storage. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common disease associated with dysregulated glucose metabolism. Diabetes mellitus is … Read more

Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a range of 14 disorders that primarily affect connective tissues, causing them to become less structurally sound. This manifests in a variety of localities, including the skin, ligaments, joints, internal organs, and blood vessels. The most well-known symptom of EDS is abnormally stretchy skin, but other symptoms can include joint hypermobility, … Read more