Keywords
Trace elements
Biomineralization
Magnetite
Magnetotactic bacteria
Human metabolism
Evolution of life
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Written by the director of Fundación Con Vida, a physician specializing in clinical nutrition, and a forestry technologist, this article reviews biominerals — mineral structures generated by the metabolic activity of living organisms. The authors describe the main types of biominerals according to their chemical composition and biological functions, including the role of magnetite in animal magnetoreception and processes of fungal and bacterial biomineralization. The text develops in depth the role of essential trace elements in human metabolism, detailing their dietary sources and the consequences of deficiency, and closes with an evolutionary perspective on biomineralization from stromatolites to the Cambrian Explosion.
References
CASAS J.S., J. SORDO, Aspectos básicos da biomineralización, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Revista Galega do Ensino, N*29 — Novembro 2000.
ESTEBAN D., Francisco. Caracterización microestructural y cristalográfica de la concha prismatofoliada de pectinoidea, anomioidea y ostreoidea (Pteriomorphia: Bivalvia). Implicaciones Evolutivas. Tesis Doctoral. Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 2006.
MARGULIS, LYNN & DORIAN SAGAN. ¿Qué es la Vida? Prólogo de Niles Elredge. Colección Metatemas. Traducción: Ambrosio García. 1996. Primera edición en inglés: 1995. Enlaces de internet: Efecto del campo geomagnético en insectos: http://bio.infdj.com.articulos/ Efecto-Campo-geomagnetico. html. http://alquimicos.blogspot. com/2007/05/biominerales-hastaen-el-desayuno.html http://cabierta-uchile-clfrevista/22/ artículos] www.espacial.org/planetarias/ astrobiologia/magnetotaxia
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Copyright (c) 2008 Édinson Muñoz Ciro; Armando Jiménez; Natalia Martínez Sánchez