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TOXICOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHT (REDOX REDUX: A CLOSER LOOK AT CONCEPTAL LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT THIOLS)
Citation:
Rogers, J M. AND E S. Hunter III. TOXICOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHT (REDOX REDUX: A CLOSER LOOK AT CONCEPTAL LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT THIOLS). TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES 62(1):1-3, (2001).
Description:
Glutathione (GSH) is present as the most abundant low molecular weight thiol (LMWT) in virtually all mitochondria-bearing eucaryotic cells, often at millimolar concentrations (Meister, 1988). Functions of GSH include roles in DNA and protein synthesis, maintenance of cell membrane integrity, drug and chemical metabolism, and protection from oxidative stress. The role of GSH in normal reproduction and development, as well as its role in protecting against reproductive toxicants, have been studied extensively, but remains poorly understood. In the feature article, Beck et al. take a novel and important approach to studying the content and distribution of GSH and cysteine in organogenesis-stage embryos, using acetaminophen (APAP) as a modulator of GSH and mercury orange staining to localize LMWT. Their results provide insight on the redox status and capacity of these embryos, including compartmentalization and intracellular distribution.