Abstract

MARTINEZ FLORES, Karina et al. Cadmium: effects on health. Cellular and molecular response. Acta toxicol. argent. [online]. 2013, vol.21, n.1, pp.33-49. ISSN 1851-3743.

Cadmium (Cd) is a metal found in the earth´s crust, always as part of several, mainly zinc-rich, ores. Cd is considered as an environmental pollutant, it is widely used in the industry. It coexists with other metals and its release into the environment is carried out in parallel with the release of copper, iron and zinc. Cd is known to have numerous undesirable effects on health in both humans and animals. Once absorbed, it is effciently retained in the body, where it accumulates throughout life. Depending on the dose, source and type of exposure it could damage several organs as the liver, kidney, lung, bones, testes and placenta. Impor-tant sources of human intoxication are food, cigarette smoke as well as contaminated water and air. Cd cell uptake is not uniform across all systems. This could be mediated by passive or active transport, or via calcium channels. It is known that the toxicity produced by this metal is due, in part to reactive oxygen species, which could act as second messengers that may alter different signaling cascades. The aim of this review is to analyze the effects of Cd on health, as well as on cellular and molecular response.

Keywords : Cadmium; Metallotionein; Reactive oxygen species; Signaling pathways.

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