Skip to main content
Library homepage
 

Text Color

Text Size

 

Margin Size

 

Font Type

Enable Dyslexic Font
Medicine LibreTexts

Copper

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about the role of copper

Copper, like iron, assists in electron transfer in the electron-transport chain. Furthermore, copper is a cofactor of enzymes essential for iron absorption and transport. The other important function of copper is as an antioxidant. Symptoms of mild to moderate copper deficiency are rare. More severe copper deficiency can cause anemia from the lack of iron mobilization in the body for red blood cell synthesis. Other signs and symptoms include growth retardation in children and neurological problems, because copper is a cofactor for an enzyme that synthesizes myelin, which surrounds many nerves.

Contributors and Attributions


This page titled Copper is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by The University of Hawaiʻi.

  • Was this article helpful?

Support Center

How can we help?