Biological roles of carotenoids

Karotenoidi su skupina široko rasprostranjenih biljnih specijaliziranih metabolita. Osim što imaju važnu ulogu u biljnoj stanici, proširujući spektar apsorpcije svjetlosti i štiteći klorofil od fotooksidacijskog oštećenja, pokazali su se i kao vrlo korisne komponente u ljudskoj prehrani. Njihova karakteristična struktura omogućuje im antioksidacijsku aktivnost i u animalnim stanicama. Suzbijanjem reaktivnih kisikovih spojeva i ostalih štetnih produkata metabolizma, štite razna tkiva ljudskog organizma. Sastavni su dio mrežnice oka i jedna su od stavki u sintezi vitamina A. Nalaze se i u membranama stanica gdje im je glavna uloga kontrola fluidnosti i permeabilnosti fosfolipidnog dvosloja. Likopen i β-karoten tema su mnogih istraživanja zbog svog potencijalnog preventivnog učinka na razne bolesti, posebice rak. Reguliranjem ekspresije gena smanjuju broj tumorskih stanica i potiču njihovu apoptozu, a antioksidacijskim svojstvima umanjuju i posljedice razvoja bolesti. Bioraspoloživost karotenoida izazovna je tema za istraživanje jer zahtjeva razumijevanje različitih mehanizama apsorpcije i disperzije u tkivima. Karotenoidi pokazuju veliki potencijal u liječenju raznih bolesti i kliničkih stanja, međutim potrebna su još mnoga istraživanja koja bi u potpunosti objasnila njihovo djelovanje i stvorila mogućnost korištenja tih spojeva u medicinske svrhe.Carotenoids are a group of wide spread plant specialized metabolites. In addition to having an important role in the plant cell,expanding the spectrum of light absorption and protecting chlorophyll from photooxidative damage, they are also very useful components in human nutrition. Their characteristic structure enables them to have antioxidant activity in animal cells as well. By suppressing reactive oxygen compounds and other harmful products of metabolism, they protect various tissues of the human body. They are an integral part of the retina of the eye and component in synthesis of vitamin A. They can also be found in cell membranes, where their main role is to control the fluidity and permeability of the phospholipid bilayer. Lycopene and β-carotene are the subject of many studies due to their potential preventive effect on various diseases, especially cancer. By regulating gene expression, they reduce the number of tumor cells and promote their apoptosis, and with their antioxidant properties, they reduce the consequences of disease development. The bioaccessibility of carotenoids is a challenging topic for research because it requires an understanding of different mechanisms of absorption and dispersion in tissues.Carotenoids show great potential in the treatment of various diseases and clinical conditions, however, many more studies are needed to fully explain their action and create the possibility of using these compounds for medical purposes