title: Plants, selenium and human health.
abstract: Selenium is an essential nutrient for animals, microorganisms and some other eukaryotes. Although selenium has not been demonstrated to be essential in vascular plants, the ability of some plants to accumulate and transform selenium into bioactive compounds has important implications for human nutrition and health, and for the environment. Selenium-accumulating plants provide unique tools to help us understand selenium metabolism. They are also a source of genetic material that can be used to alter selenium metabolism and tolerance to help develop food crops that have enhanced levels of anticarcinogenic selenium compounds, as well as plants that are ideally suited for the phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated soils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, 1165 Horticulture Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1165, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Salt
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D064586:Selenic Acid; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013431:Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013431:Sulfates; D012643:Selenium; D064586:Selenic Acid