Introduction to the Session on Physiological Aspects of Copper Metabolism

Abstract

I would like to express my thanks for the organization of this symposium. It was badly needed. We know a great deal about the relationship of copper to basic biochemical mechanisms at the molecular level, and perhaps we know more about copper in this regard than we know about other essential trace elements. And yet, application in terms of therapy and in the field of nutrition has been very poor. For many many years all of us believed that our nutritional status with regard to copper was totally satisfactory and if anything we were perhaps concerned with over exposure until recent hypotheses and recent data that you will hear presented here in this symposium actually alerted us to a very disturbing fact, namely that copper intake by the large majority of the population of the United States and also in some countries in Europe is very significantly below what we consider to be minimal requirements to maintain balance. There are a number of problems related to this which will be thoroughly discussed in this symposium. The program that we have promises to bring us all of the facts that are available now and the social program promises us plenty of time for intensive personal discussions. I am personally looking forward to this experience.