During development, the fetus is entirely dependent on the mother for its nutrient requirements. Subsequently, it is a period when both are vulnerable to changes in dietary supply, especially of those nutrients that are marginal under normal circumstances. In developed countries, this applies mainly to micronutrients. Even now, iron deficiency is a common disorder, especially in pregnancy. Similarly, copper intake in the U.K. population is rarely above adequate levels. It is now becoming clear that nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy can result in problems for the offspring, in both the short- and long-term. Early studies showed that lambs born to mothers on copper-deficient pastures developed ‘swayback’, with neurological and muscular symptoms that could not be reversed by postnatal supplementation. Our own findings have shown that prenatal iron deficiency results in increased postnatal blood pressure, even though the offspring have normal dietary iron levels from birth. These observations emphasize the importance of iron and copper in growth and development. Complicating the situation further is the fact that copper and iron are known to interact with each other in many ways, including absorption and intracellular transport. However, their interactions during the pregnancy appear to be more complex than during the non-pregnant state. In the present review, we examine the importance of these metals and their interactions, the consequences, both short- and long-term, of deficiency and consider some possible mechanisms whereby these effects may be generated.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
December 2008
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Conference Article|
November 19 2008
Iron and copper, and their interactions during development
Lorraine Gambling;
Lorraine Gambling
1
1Rowett Institute of Health and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email L.Gambling@rowett.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Henriette S. Andersen;
Henriette S. Andersen
1Rowett Institute of Health and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Harry J. McArdle
Harry J. McArdle
1Rowett Institute of Health and Nutrition, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
July 28 2008
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 Biochemical Society
2008
Biochem Soc Trans (2008) 36 (6): 1258–1261.
Article history
Received:
July 28 2008
Citation
Lorraine Gambling, Henriette S. Andersen, Harry J. McArdle; Iron and copper, and their interactions during development. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2008; 36 (6): 1258–1261. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0361258
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.