Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Selenium, selenoproteins and vision.

Leopold Flohé1

  • 1MOLISA GmbH, Magdeburg, Germany.

Developments in Ophthalmology
|December 18, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Selenium is vital for eye health, but excess intake can cause cataracts. Current evidence does not support selenium supplementation for age-related eye diseases beyond recommended dietary levels.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

50 Years of Organoselenium Chemistry, Biochemistry and Reactivity: Mechanistic Understanding, Successful and Controversial Stories.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2024
Same author

The glutathione peroxidase family: Discoveries and mechanism.

Free radical biology & medicine·2022
Same author

Fifty years of selenoenzyme research: Discoveries, state-of-the-art and future directions.

Free radical biology & medicine·2022
Same author

Selenium-Catalyzed Reduction of Hydroperoxides in Chemistry and Biology.

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)·2021
Same author

Proton Transfer and S<sub>N</sub> 2 Reactions as Steps of Fast Selenol and Thiol Oxidation in Proteins: A Model Molecular Study Based on GPx.

ChemPlusChem·2021
Same author

Looking Back at the Early Stages of Redox Biology.

Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Ophthalmology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Selenium is an essential trace element crucial for at least 25 selenoenzymes in mammals.
  • Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1) deficiency, linked to selenium deprivation, is implicated in cataract formation in animal models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of selenium biochemistry in age-related ocular diseases.
  • To evaluate the potential benefits and risks of selenium in eye health.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of selenium biochemistry and its relation to ocular pathologies.
  • Analysis of animal studies on selenium deprivation and excess.
  • Assessment of clinical evidence for selenium's role in eye diseases.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Selenium deficiency (lack of GPx-1) can induce cataracts in rodents.
  • Excess selenium is toxic and can also cause cataracts in experimental animals.
  • No clinical evidence supports selenium's protective role in cataract, macular degeneration, or retinitis pigmentosa.

Conclusions:

  • There is no established theoretical or empirical basis for expecting selenium supplementation to benefit ocular diseases beyond the established dietary intake.
  • Suboptimal selenium intake does not typically lead to clinically relevant selenium deficiency in the eye.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the role of other selenoproteins in ocular health.