Graduate
  1. Physical Chemistry  1.1. Thermodynamics  1.1.1. Laws of Thermodynamics  1.1.2. Enthalpy and heat capacity  1.1.3. Entropy and free energy  1.1.4. Phase Equilibrium  1.1.5. Statistical thermodynamics  1.1.6. Thermodynamic cycle  1.1.7. Fugacity and activity  1.2. Quantum Chemistry  1.2.1. Principles of quantum mechanics  1.2.2. Schrödinger Equation  1.2.3. Particle in a box  1.2.4. Operators and eigenvalues  1.2.5. Atomic orbitals  1.2.6. Molecular orbital theory  1.2.7. Perturbation theory  1.2.8. Valence bond theory  1.2.9. Hybridization and chemical bonding  1.3. Chemical kinetics  1.3.1. Rate laws and reaction mechanisms  1.3.2. Collision theory  1.3.3. Transition state theory  1.3.4. Enzyme Kinetics  1.3.5. Chain Reactions and Polymerization  1.3.6. Photochemical reactions  1.4. Statistical mechanics  1.4.1. Partitioning functions  1.4.2. Molecular distribution functions  1.4.3. Boltzmann Distribution  1.4.4. Bose–Einstein and Fermi–Dirac statistics  1.5. Spectroscopy  1.5.1. Rotational Spectroscopy  1.5.2. Vibrational Spectroscopy  1.5.3. Electronic Spectroscopy  1.5.4. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy  1.5.5. Mass Spectrometry  1.5.6. Raman Spectroscopy  1.5.7. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy  1.6. Surface and colloidal chemistry  1.6.1. Absorption isotherm  1.6.2. Surface tension and wetting  1.6.3. Colloidal Stability  1.6.4. Catalysis  1.6.5. Emulsions and micelles  1.7. Electrochemistry  1.7.1. Nernst equation  1.7.2. Electrochemical cells  1.7.3. Conductivity and mobility  1.7.4. War  1.7.5. Fuel cells  1.7.6. Electrolysis
  2. Organic chemistry  2.1. Reaction mechanism  2.1.1. Nucleophilic substitution reactions  2.1.2. Electrophilic addition reactions  2.1.3. Elimination reactions  2.1.4. Rearrangement reactions  2.1.5. Radical reactions  2.1.6. Pericyclic reactions  2.2. Spectroscopy and structural determination  2.2.1. UV-Vis Spectroscopy  2.2.2. IR Spectroscopy  2.2.3. NMR Spectroscopy  2.2.4. Mass Spectrometry  2.2.5. X-ray crystallography  2.3. Stereoscopic  2.3.1. Chirality and optical activity  2.3.2. Structural analysis  2.3.3. Geometrical isomerism  2.3.4. Dynamic Stereochemistry  2.4. Organometallic Chemistry  2.4.1. Organolithium and organomagnesium reagents  2.4.2. Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions  2.4.3. Transition Metal Complexes  2.4.4. Metal–carbon bond  2.5. Polymer chemistry  2.5.1. Polymerization mechanism  2.5.2. Polymer Characteristics  2.5.3. Biodegradable Polymer  2.5.4. Conducting polymer  2.5.5. Supramolecular polymers  2.6. Medicinal chemistry  2.6.1. Drug design and development  2.6.2. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics  2.6.3. Structure-activity relationships  2.6.4. Molecular docking and drug screening
  3. Inorganic chemistry  3.1. Coordination chemistry  3.1.1. Crystal field theory  3.1.2. Ligand field theory  3.1.3. Spectrochemical Series  3.1.4. Chelation and stability  3.2. Organometallic Chemistry  3.2.1. Metal Carbonyls  3.2.2. Catalysis by organometallic complexes  3.2.3. Metallocenes  3.3. Bio-inorganic chemistry  3.3.1. Metalloproteins and enzymes  3.3.2. The role of metals in biological systems  3.3.3. Metal ion transport and storage  3.4. Solid state chemistry  3.4.1. Crystal Structures  3.4.2. Band theory of solids  3.4.3. Superconductors  3.4.4. Defects in the crystal  3.5. Lanthanides and Actinides  3.5.1. Electronic configuration in lanthanides and actinides  3.5.2. Coordination chemistry of the lanthanides  3.5.3. Magnetic Properties of Lanthanides
  4. Analytical chemistry  4.1. Chromatography  4.1.1. Gas Chromatography  4.1.2. High Performance Liquid Chromatography  4.1.3. Thin Layer Chromatography  4.2. Spectroscopic Techniques  4.2.1. Atomic absorption spectroscopy  4.2.2. X-ray diffraction  4.2.3. Inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy  4.3. Electroanalytical methods  4.3.1. Potentiometry  4.3.2. Voltammetry  4.3.3. Colometry  4.4. Mass Spectrometry  4.4.1. Ionization Technique  4.4.2. Fragmentation Pattern  4.5. Chemometrics  4.5.1. Multidisciplinary analysis  4.5.2. Machine Learning in Chemistry
  5. Theoretical and Computational Chemistry  5.1. Molecular dynamics simulation  5.1.1. Force fields and energy minimization  5.1.2. Monte Carlo simulation in molecular dynamics simulations  5.2. Quantum chemical methods  5.2.1. Hartree–Fock theory  5.2.2. Density functional theory  5.2.3. Semi-empirical methods  5.3. Computational drug design  5.3.1. Molecular Docking  5.3.2. QSAR Modeling  5.3.3. Virtual Screening
  6. Biochemistry  6.1. Enzyme Kinetics  6.1.1. Michaelis-Menten kinetics  6.1.2. Inhibition mechanism  6.2. Metabolism and Bioenergetics  6.2.1. Glycolysis  6.2.2. Citric acid cycle  6.2.3. Electron transport chain  6.3. molecular Biology  6.3.1. DNA replication and repair  6.3.2. Protein synthesis  6.3.3. Gene Regulation  6.4. Structural Biochemistry  6.4.1. Protein Folding  6.4.2. Membrane Biophysics
  7. Environmental Chemistry  7.1. Atmospheric Chemistry  7.1.1. Greenhouse gases  7.1.2. Ozone depletion  7.1.3. Air pollutants and smoke  7.2. Water Chemistry  7.2.1. pH and water hardness  7.2.2. Wastewater treatment  7.2.3. Aquatic Chemistry  7.3. Soil Chemistry  7.3.1. Heavy metal contamination  7.3.2. Soil pH and Buffering  7.3.3. Nutrient cycling  7.4. Toxicology and Chemical Safety  7.4.1. Toxicokinetics  7.4.2. Risk Assessment in Toxicology and Chemical Safety in Environmental Chemistry  7.4.3. Effects of pollutants on the environment

Graduate → Inorganic chemistry → Bio-inorganic chemistry ↓


Metal ion transport and storage


In the world of bioinorganic chemistry, the roles of metal ions are fundamentally important. Metal ions participate in many biological processes, including the transport and storage of essential nutrients. In this detailed lesson, we will explore how various metal ions are transported within the body and how they are stored in cells. Understanding these mechanisms is important because metal ions are involved in vital functions such as oxygen transport, electron transfer, and catalysis in enzymatic reactions.

Introduction to metal ions

Metal ions are atoms that have lost or gained electrons, resulting in a charged entity. They are essential in a variety of biochemical processes due to their ability to participate in various bonding interactions with organic molecules. Metal ions commonly studied in bioinorganic chemistry include Fe2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. Each of these ions plays specific roles in biological functions, often as cofactors or structural elements in proteins and enzymes.

Transport of metal ions

Metal ions are transported across cell membranes via special proteins called transporters. These transporters are often membrane-spanning proteins, which allow ions to move in and out of cells and organs. They can work through passive diffusion or active transport. Let's take a closer look at each method:

Passive transport

Passive transport does not require energy and depends on the concentration gradient. Ion channels and carrier proteins allow metal ions to move down their concentration gradient. An example of this is the movement of K+ ions through potassium channels.

K+ channels → facilitate passive diffusion of potassium ions

Active transport

Active transport requires energy, usually in the form of ATP, to move metal ions against their concentration gradient. A classic example is the sodium-potassium pump, which exchanges Na+ and K+ ions across the cell membrane.

Na+/K+ pump → uses ATP to exchange Na+ and K+ ions

Visualization of metal ion transport

Ion Channel

The visual above is a simplified representation of an ion channel that facilitates the movement of ions across a membrane. The circle represents a metal ion, and the rectangle represents the protein channel.

Metal ion storage

Metal ions are stored in proteins called metalloproteins or in cellular compartments. These storage forms prevent metal ion toxicity and maintain ion homeostasis. Prominent examples include ferritin for iron storage and metallothionein for metal ion detoxification.

Ferritin

Ferritin is a globular protein complex that stores iron in a non-toxic form. It releases iron when required, ensuring a balance between supply and demand. The formula showing iron storage in ferritin can be simplified as follows:

Fe2+ + O2 → Fe2O3 (stored in ferritin)

Metallothionein

Metallothioneins are small proteins rich in cysteine residues, which bind metal ions with high affinity. They play a role in metal ion homeostasis and detoxification. They bind metals such as copper and zinc, preventing excess free ions from entering the cell.

Example of metal ion storage

Ferritin

The diagram depicts ferritin as an oval protein structure containing stored iron ions (red circles). This complex regulates the availability of iron for metabolic processes.

Role of metal ions in biological functions

In addition to transport and storage, metal ions are indispensable in a variety of biological functions, including:

  • Oxygen transport: Hemoglobin and myoglobin bind oxygen; iron is a major component of these molecules.
  • Enzyme catalysis: Metal ions act as cofactors; zinc is a fundamental element in carbonic anhydrase, which helps convert carbon dioxide and water into bicarbonate and protons.
  • Electron transfer: Copper ions in cytochrome c oxidase are involved in electron transfer in the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

Schematic representation of oxygen transport

Fe Hemoglobin O2

Schematic diagram showing the role of iron in transporting oxygen bound to hemoglobin. Iron binds oxygen, allowing red blood cells to carry it efficiently throughout the body.

Conclusion

Metal ion transport and storage are essential processes in maintaining the homeostasis of organisms. Understanding these mechanisms can provide important insights into various physiological and pathological processes. The study of bioinorganic chemistry provides critical knowledge that aids in designing treatments for metal ion imbalances, such as iron deficiency or copper toxicity. As we delve deeper into this field, new discoveries continue to uncover the complex roles of metal ions in living systems.


Graduate → 3.3.3


U
username
0%
completed in Graduate

← Prev (3.3.2)
The role of metals in biological systems
Next (3.4) →
Solid state chemistry

Comments 



Metal ion transport and storage

https://www.chemistryelite.com/g/3.3.3?ceal=en