Basic Element of Life: Carbon and Its History, Physiological Function and Biomedical Application
XIA Ting1,2, LI Sheng-Ke1,3, WANG Rui-Bing1
1. State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa Macau SAR 999078, China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China; 3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Abstract Carbon is one of the first elements discovered and utilized by human beings. It is also one of the most important, fundamental elements for life building. It mostly exists in the form of organic matters such as sugars, proteins and lipids, while it also exits in inorganic salts, such as bicarbonate buffer systems, in human body where these carbonaceous compounds play an important physiological role. Carbon materials can be employed as artificial tissue matrix, organ implant material, drug or gene carrier, bioimaging agent, biosensor and so on, which paves a new way for the discovery of pathogenesis and theragnosis of human diseases.
XIA Ting, LI Sheng-Ke, WANG Rui-Bing. Basic Element of Life: Carbon and Its History, Physiological Function and Biomedical Application[J]. , 2019, 40(19): 1-5.
