87. CHEMICAL ELEMENTS, FUNCTIONS: ANIMALS (Continued) 



The functions listed in the table require the specific elements noted. In addition, carbon, hy- 

 drogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur are required for the functions of synthesis of 

 structural proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other organic compounds, and for formation of end 

 products of metabolism. 



Element 



2aI 



119 

 120 

 121 

 122 

 125 

 121* 

 125 

 126 

 127 

 128 



129 

 13C 

 151 

 132 



153 



13^ 



155 



156. 



13T 



156 



13S 



ii*c 



lUi 



Iki 



1^1 



Ikl' 



Ike 

 i4T 

 iki 

 Iks 



15C 



151 



15£. 



153 



15^ 



15! 



156 



157 



15f 



15S 



16C 



l6l 



162 



163 



161* 



165 



166' 



167 



168 



169 



170 



171 



172 



1T5 



171* 



175 



176 



177 



178 



Occurs as phosphate 

 in most foods. Ab- 

 sorbed from gastroin- 

 testinal tract in 

 higher forms. Ab- 

 sorbed through cell 

 membranes in lower 

 forms. 



Phosphorus 



Potassium 



Silicon 



Sodium 



Sulfur 



Ingestion Eind 

 Absorption 



HE 



Large quantities as phos- 

 phate complex of calcium 

 in bone of vertebrates. 

 Component of phospho- 

 lipids (nerve and other 

 tissues), phosphocreatine 

 or phosphoarginine (mus- 

 cle); as inorganic POlj 

 in cell, extracellular 

 fluid; as nucleoprotein 

 in all tissues; and as 

 adenosine triphosphate 

 (ATP) in variety of cells 

 of higher and lower spe- 

 cies. Intracellular in- 

 organic phosphate low 

 relative to phosphate 

 esters. 



Ingested as inorganic 

 salt in variety of 

 foods. Absorbed from 

 intestine. Absorbed 

 through gills and 

 cell membranes in 

 many lower marine 

 forms. 



Absorbed from intes- 

 tine. Inhaled parti- 

 cles deposit in lungs 

 and give rise to 

 serious effects. Ab- 

 sorbed through cell 

 membrane of lower 

 forms . 



Widely distributed in 

 foods as Inorganic 

 salt. More in foods 

 of animal origin than 

 in foods of plant 

 origin. Taken as NaCl 

 by many higher verte- 

 brates including man. 

 Absorbed from intes- 

 tine in higher forms 

 and through gills and 

 cell membranes in 

 lower forms. 



As Inorganic sul- 

 fates, organic sul- 

 fates and sulfhydryl 

 sulfur of cystine and 

 methionine. 



Vanadium 



Extracted from marine 

 muds by Ascidia. 



Distribution 



IcT 



Important structural com- 

 ponent of bone. Component 

 of high energy P com- 

 pounds (ATP, phosphocrea- 

 tine, phosphoarginine, 

 acetyl phosphate). Com- 

 bines with Intermediates 

 in carbohydrate metabol- 

 ism. Buffer in urine. 

 Constituent of nucleo- 

 protein. Component of 

 phospholipids (intermedi- 

 ates in lipid metabolisij. 



Principal cation of in- 

 tracellular water. Small 

 amount in extracellular 

 water . 



In skeletal structures 

 and in supporting struc- 

 tures of certain Proto- 

 zoa, Poriphera and higher 

 forms. 



Major part of body sodium 



is extracellular, much in 

 bone. Some intracellular. 

 Tissues vary in concen- 

 tration of intracellular 

 sodium, muscle containing 

 only small amounts. Data 

 on other than mammalian 

 forms not available. 



Small amount of sulfate 

 in extracellular H2O. 

 Relatively large amount 

 in proteins and small 

 amount in certain lipids. 



In blood respiratory 

 pigment of marine worm, 

 Ascldla. 



Function 



m 



Essential cation of in- 

 tracellular fluid. 



Protective and structural 

 component of various low- 

 er animal forms. 



Chief cation of extra- 

 cellular water. Essen- 

 tial for proper external 

 environment of cells. 

 Chief cation of intesti- 

 nal secretions. Salts 

 are important buffers of 

 plasma, extracellular 

 water and urine. 



Essential component of 

 many proteins. Sulfuric 

 acid secreted as di- 

 gestive fluid in As- 

 cidia. Sulfate is im- 

 portant anion in intra- 

 cellular fluid. Sul- 

 fate used in detoxifica- 

 tion reactions. 



Excretion 



iEl 



Excreted in 

 urine and 

 feces. 



Almost en- 

 tirely in 

 urine. 

 Minute 

 amounts in 

 feces and 

 sweat . 



Primarily 

 in urine 

 of verte- 

 brates. 



Primarily 

 in urine. 

 Variable 

 quantities 

 in sweat . 

 Small 

 amounts 

 In feces. 



Component of respiratory 

 pigment which provides 

 oxygen transport in 

 Ascidia. 



Mostly in 

 urine as 

 sulfates 

 and sulf- 

 hydryl com- 

 pounds. 



Mostly in 

 feces. 



152 



