title: Plant calcium content: ready to remodel.
abstract: By identifying the relationship between calcium location in the plant cell and nutrient bioavailability, the plant characteristics leading to maximal calcium absorption by humans can be identified. Knowledge of plant cellular and molecular targets controlling calcium location in plants is emerging. These insights should allow for better strategies for increasing the nutritional content of foods. In particular, the use of preparation-free elemental imaging technologies such as synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) microscopy in plant biology may allow researchers to understand the relationship between subcellular location and nutrient bioavailability. These approaches may lead to better strategies for altering the location of calcium within the plant to maximize its absorption from fruits and vegetables. These modified foods could be part of a diet for children and adults identified as at-risk for low calcium intake or absorption with the ultimate goal of decreasing the incidence and severity of inadequate bone mineralization.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture/Agriculture Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jiany@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Punshon
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Guerinot
authors.forename: Kendal D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hirschi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005527:Food, Fortified; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D017356:Synchrotrons
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012987:Soil; D002118:Calcium