ABSTRACT
Time-dependent toxicokinetic processes related to absorption, distribution, storage, biotransformation, and elimination will determine how much of a toxicant will be distributed to a specific target organ (e.g., kidney, liver, or lung) in the body. Target organ toxicity is defined as the adverse effects or disease states manifested in specific organs in the body. Toxicity is unique for each organ, since each organ is a unique assemblage of tissues, and each tissue is a unique assemblage of cells. Toxicity may be enhanced by distribution features that deliver a high concentration of the toxicant to a specific organ (e.g., large blood flow/mass ratio) or by inherent features of the cells and tissues of the organ that render it highly susceptible to the toxicant, even at low concentrations.
