title: Inorganic concepts relevant to metal binding, activity, and toxicity in a biological system.
abstract: Selected physical and inorganic concepts and factors which might be important in assessing and/or understanding the fate and disposition of metal compounds in a biological environment are reviewed. The stereochemistry (geometry), thermodynamic stability, redox properties, and intrinsic reactivity/lability are properties of metal compounds which can have a major influence on metal-target binding and on the eliciting of activity/toxicity. Concepts and factors are illustrated with appropriate examples where possible. Efforts to correlate the toxicity of metal compounds with a suitable indicator of toxicity should be expanded to include other parameters or combinations of parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-1055.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hoeschele
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: England
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008025:Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D008433:Mathematics; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010984:Platinum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D008667:Metalloproteins; D008670:Metals; D010984:Platinum; D008025:Ligases