Dear Colleagues,

In order to maintain many vital processes trace essential elements, also called as micro-minerals, must be present in living organisms within certain concentration ranges. These bioelements fulfill a lot of important physiological functions like as active centers of enzymes, as structure-forming of biomolecules or as catalysts in the biosynthesis of enzymes and proteins. In animal organisms a lot of trace elements (like selenium, zinc, cobalt or iodine) are the essential part of enzymes; these biomolecules may be involved in the protection of cells against damage by radical oxidative species, transport processes or acute phase reactions. Thus, trace essential elements have diverse functions, including nerve transmission, muscle contraction, blood clotting, immunity, the maintenance of blood pressure and animal growth and development.
Essential elements constitute ~4-6% of animal bodyweight - about one-quarter as phosphorus and one-half as calcium, the remainder being made up of the other essential elements that must be derived from a diet. Therefore, essential elements are divided into two groups according to the amounts present in and needed by the animal organism. The major elements (macro-minerals) - those required in amounts of 100 mg or more per day (i.e., calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, chloride and potassium). The trace elements (micro-minerals), required in much smaller amounts of ~15 mg per day or less, include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum, chromium and cobalt. The term ultratrace elements are used to describe elements that are found in the diet in extremely small quantities (micrograms per day) and are present in animals and human tissue as well; these elements include boron, arsenic, nickel, vanadium and silicon.
Deficiency in any of trace essential elements leads to undesirable pathological conditions that can be prevented or reversed by adequate supplementation of animal diets. On the other hand, dietary excesses of essential elements (like Se, Cr or Cu) can cause direct toxic effects to animals as well as indirect effects that can cause a secondary deficiency of other trace elements. Clinical signs may vary from poor growth and feed utilization to neurologic disorders. Toxic effects vary with the specific essential element in question, the content of that element and its chemical form in a diet, the condition and age of animals, and the absence or presence of certain other dietary components.
Developments in the knowledge of physiological functions of trace essential elements in animal organisms, the influence of dietary essential elements on animal grow parameters, new chemical form of essential elements in diets, interactions between essential elements with other elements or biomolecules in animal organisms, the impact of dietary components, elements on the yield of bioaccumulation of essential trace elements in selected tissues of animals, are needed. Contributions on any of these topics or others related to them, including original research papers and literature reviews, are welcome for this Special Issue.

Prof. Marian Czauderna
Guest Editor

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• trace essential elements
• farm animals
• ruminants
• monogastric animals
• poultry
• laboratory animals
• interactions
• deficiency symptoms of essential elements
• excess symptoms of essential elements
• physiological functions of essential elements
• toxic elements.