What are the structural and functional roles of calcium and phosphate?
Structurally calcium is used in the polymers which constitute bone structure and is used a cofactor in many enzymes. Functionally calcium is used as a cofactor in many enzymes to make them work, without them the substrates would not bind to the enzyme molecules. Also calcium exists as an ion around neurons and is required for successful transmission of nervous impulses. Phosphate structurally is used as an energy store in body tissues, most commonly in muscle tissue bound to creatinine in the form of creatine phosphate. This is also a functional role that phosphate plays in the body. The phosphate dissociates from the creatinine releasing an amount of energy which is used for contraction of the muscle bundle fibres. Phosphate is also used in many buffers found in the body, such as in the blood or the digestive system and can be even calcium phosphate which again is used a lot in bone structure and makes up most of your tooth enamel.
