Manganese Deficiency

Definition and Characteristics

Manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient, and lack of Mn in the diet impairs the health of animals.

Prevalence

Deficiency has not been reported in free-living humans, and is restricted to defined experimental or therapeutic diets.

Molecular and Systemic Pathophysiology

Manganese (Mn), an essential metal and nutrient, enters the body through the diet or through inhaled Mn-laden dust. There is limited absorption of dietary Mn, but very little regulation of absorption via the lungs. Absorbed Mn moves to the liver and may be excreted into bile, or bound to transferrin or albumin for transport by systemic blood supply [1]. Alternatively, Mn2+ may be converted to Mn3+ (interconversion between Mn2+ and Mn3+ may be facilitated by ceruloplasmin) and bound to transferrin for transport. In cells, Mn is essential for activity of multiple proteins, including glutamine synthetase in the brain, glycosyl transferase, needed for sulfomucopoly-saccharide synthesis and...