Are copper, zinc and selenium in erythrocytes valuable biological indexes of nutrition and pathology?

The real significance of the level of trace elements copper, zinc and selenium in erythrocytes is still a matter of debate. This review is an evaluation of the potential value of copper, zinc and selenium in red blood cells in physiology, nutrition and pathology, taking into account the other commonly used indices and the analytical difficulty encountered for erythrocyte determinations. The main analytical methods and reference values in erythrocytes are also presented. The literature of the last 3 decades was analyzed. On the basis of these papers, the role of erythrocyte copper in various pathologies should be re-investigated, especially when they include inflammatory processes or hormonal changes. The main interest of zinc determination in red blood cells concerns thyroid pathology. In general, the value of selenium in erythrocytes agrees with selenium in serum and its determination is often unnecessary.