Transferrin: From Inorganic Biochemistry to Medicine

Transferrin: From Inorganic Biochemistry to Medicine

Transferrin is one of the key proteins of iron metabolism in mammalians. It is responsible for the transfer of the essential iron(III) ions through the biological fluids from absorption to storage and utilization sites. Moreover, transferrin is involved in the metabolism of other metal ions that are either trace or toxic elements. In recent years the crystal structure of transferrin has been so...

Inorganic Biochemistry

Session I. Mitochondria: from Biochemistry to Medicine

The vascular endothelium is situated at the interference between blood and vascular wall. It is a protective barrier possessing anticoagulatory properties and generating a number of autacoids that regulate vascular tone and homeostasis. Nitric oxide (NO) is the primary endothelium-derived autacoid possessing vasodilator properties and exerting inhibitory effects on leukocyte adhesion, thrombocy...

A convoluted road from biochemistry to clinical medicine to primatology

How does a physician become intimately involved with primatology? The story of my path is the story of serendipity and exposure to interdisciplinary research. Primatology encompasses many fields: anatomy, behavior, physiology, biochemistry, systematics and taxonomy, evolutionary biology, communication and linguistics, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, clinical medicine and primatology, to ...

Inorganic Biochemistry of Medicinal Plants

Most medicinal plants are flowering plants and they also serve as ornamental plants. Measurement of trace element content in medicinal plants, drugs and extracts may be relevant in view of e.g. human health, animal health and environmental relations. This fact has a great significance since about half of the plant drugs available in the trade originate from natural habitats and the element cont...