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Importance of Mineral and Bone Metabolism after Burn
Metabolic Actions of Calcium, Phosphate, and Magnesium
As insoluble elements, minerals are major inorganic components of bone tissue and confer weight-bearing properties to the skeleton. Soluble calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO 4 ), and magnesium (Mg) play important roles in metabolic pathways, acting as cofactors and regulators of numerous biochemical systems.
Calcium
Calcium functions in neurotransmission, cell depolarization, impulse propagation, and muscle contractility. In intracellular pathways, after capture by Ca-binding protein or protein kinase C, Ca serves as a second messenger. In extracellular metabolism, Ca activates several factors in the coagulation cascade.
Phosphate
Phosphate has an integral role in the storage and transfer of energy. Inorganic phosphate groups are exchanged in multiple metabolic reactions that allow energy-demanding activities in the human body (e.g., adenosine triphosphate [ATP] metabolism). Phosphorylation reactions represent the mainstay of cellular respiration. In the form of phospholipid, PO 4 is a major structural component of cell membranes.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential to the cell and mitochondria. It is a cofactor in the transfer of PO 4 groups, and it is necessary in reactions involving purine nucleotide metabolism. Mg also functions in plasma membrane excitability, stabilizing conditions characterized by abnormal nerve excitation or vasospasm.
Homeostasis of Calcium, Phosphate, and Magnesium
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