Selenium and selenoproteins

PubMed, the Internet portal of biomedical and life sciences literature, indexed an interesting article, entitled ”Understanding the importance of selenium and selenoproteins in muscle function” (Cell Mol Life Sci. 2005 Nov 28). Authors are Rederstorff M, Krol A and Lescure A from the Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg Cedex, France. Selenium is an essential trace element. In humans lack of selenium is associated with many disorders. Recent results about a possible role of selenium-containing proteins in muscle formation and repair have been collected. Selenoprotein N is the first selenoprotein linked to genetic disorders consisting of different forms of congenital muscular dystrophies. Understanding the muscle disorders associated with selenium deficiency or selenoprotein N dysfunction is an essential step in defining the causes of the disease and obtaining a better comprehension of the mechanisms involved in muscle formation and maintenance. To access the full abstract of the article, click here.