ABSTRACT
Heavy metal-related pathology is well documented and continues to be highly relevant in many organs and systems, including the central and peripheral nervous, immune system, reproductive system as well as in the two main organs responsible for metal metabolism, the liver, and elimination, the kidney. Although specific metals can selectively impact certain organs, Arsenic, Aluminum, Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium can impact multiple systems. Here we aim to describe morphological alterations caused by these metals and few others that have characteristic pathology footprints. We also aim to briefly summarize the intersection between the toxicological disease manifestation and the potential molecular mechanisms of toxicity. In the nervous system, neuronal loss and/or Wallerian degeneration are often associated with the formation of reactive oxygen species, imbalances in neurotransmitters and their receptors, and activation of proinflammatory or apoptotic signal transmission pathways. In the immune system, metals act most frequently by negatively affecting cell base or humoral responses but can also be immune modulators or sensitizers. Oxidative stress and DNA damage are important aspects of the functional and morphological alterations observed in both male and female reproductive systems. For the liver and kidney, processes such as conjugation, metabolization, and elimination are the important factors for the determination of organ retention and accumulation that can lead to the initiation of organ disruption and toxicological diseases.
