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Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., Annals PrePrint, published online ahead of print May 4, 2007 doi: 10.1196/annals.1391.010 Copyright © 2007 by the New York Academy of Sciences description
1 Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States 2 Departments of Medicine, and Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, United States 3 Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States 4 Trauma, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Lawrence.Hightower{at}uconn.edu. PrePrint Abstract
As a group, heavy metals include both those essential for normal biological functioning (e.g. Cu and Zn), and non-essential metals (e.g. Cd, Hg, and Pb). Both essential and non-essential metals can be present at concentrations that disturb normal biological functions, and which evoke cellular stress responses. The cellular targets for metal toxicity include tissues of the kidney, liver, heart, immune response and nervous system. Intriguingly, manipulations of specific metals, their reservoirs, and the cellular stress response can have therapeutic effects on certain diseases. In this minireview, we will consider both the biological responses to stressful levels of heavy metal cations, and experimental and clinical manipulations of these cations as a means to improve human health parameters. Key Words:
heavy metal, heat shock proteins, metallothioneins
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