Editing Lanthanum (section)

==Biological role==
Lanthanum has no known biological role in humans. The element is very poorly absorbed after oral administration and when injected its elimination is very slow. [[Lanthanum carbonate]] (Fosrenol) was approved as a [[phosphate binder]] to absorb excess phosphate in cases of [[end stage renal disease]].<ref name=fosrenol/>

While lanthanum has pharmacological effects on several receptors and ion channels, its specificity for the [[gamma-Aminobutyric acid|GABA]] receptor is unique among trivalent cations. Lanthanum acts at the same modulatory site on the [[GABA receptor]] as [[zinc]], a known negative [[allosteric]] modulator. The lanthanum cation {{chem|La|3+}} is a positive allosteric modulator at native and recombinant GABA receptors, increasing open channel time and decreasing desensitization in a subunit configuration dependent manner.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Boldyreva |first = A.A. |year=2005 |title=Lanthanum potentiates GABA-activated currents in rat pyramidal neurons of CA1 hippocampal field |journal=Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine |volume=140 |issue=4 |pages=403–5 |doi=10.1007/s10517-005-0503-z |pmid=16671565 |s2cid=13179025}}</ref>

Lanthanum is a cofactor for the [[methanol dehydrogenase]] of the [[methanotrophic]] bacterium ''[[Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum]]'' SolV, although the great chemical similarity of the lanthanides means that it may be substituted with cerium, praseodymium, or neodymium without ill effects, and with the smaller samarium, europium, or gadolinium giving no side effects other than slower growth.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pol |first1=Arjan |last2=Barends |first2=Thomas R.M. |last3=Dietl |first3=Andreas |last4=Khadem |first4=Ahmad F. |last5=Eygensteyn |first5=Jelle |last6=Jetten |first6=Mike S. M. |last7=Op Den Camp |first7=Huub J. M. |date=2013 |title=Rare earth metals are essential for methanotrophic life in volcanic mudpots |journal=Environmental Microbiology |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=255–64 |doi=10.1111/1462-2920.12249 |pmid=24034209|bibcode=2014EnvMi..16..255P |url=https://repository.ubn.ru.nl//bitstream/handle/2066/128108/128108.pdf }}</ref>