Ferritin and metallothionein: dangerous liaisons

摘要

Ferritin (Ft) interaction with the Zn-complexes of mammalian MT1, MT2 and MT3 metallothioneins (MT) leads to simultaneous Fe~Ⅱ and Zn~Ⅱ release.Iron is required for life since it plays a crucial role in essential biological processes. However, excess iron is toxic and Fe~Ⅱ reacts with oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are extremely powerful oxidizing agents capable of causing cell damage.rnLiving organisms have developed mechanisms to sequester iron, in a non-toxic form, until it is required for metabolic needs.