生命的基础元素:碳的认知、生理功能和医学应用

Basic Element of Life: Carbon and Its History, Physiological Function and Biomedical Application

碳元素是人类最早发现和利用的元素之一,也是组成生命的重要基础元素。在人体内碳主要以糖类、蛋白质、脂类等有机物的形式存在,还有部分以无机盐的形式存在,主要是碳酸氢盐缓冲系统,这些含碳化合物在机体内发挥着重要的生理功能。碳材料可作为人工组织、器官植入材料、药物或基因载体、生物成像剂、生物传感器等,在医学领域为人类疾病的病因探究、诊断和治疗等提供了新的方案。

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.