Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Nickel impact on human health: An intrinsic disorder perspective
Barbara Zambelli1, Vladimir N Uversky2, Stefano Ciurli1
1Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy.
Abstract:
The interplay of the presence of nickel and protein disorder in processes affecting human health is the focus of the present review. Many systems involving nickel as either a cofactor or as a toxic contaminant are characterized by large disorder. The role of nickel in the biochemistry of bacterial enzymes is discussed here, covering both the beneficial effects of nickel in the human microbiota as well as the role of nickel-depending bacteria in human pathogenesis. In addition, the hazardous health effects caused by nickel exposure to humans, namely nickel-induced carcinogenesis and allergy, are triggered by non-specific interactions of nickel with macromolecules and formation of reactive compounds that mediate cellular damage. Cellular response to nickel is also related to signal transduction cascades. This review thus highlights the most promising systems for future studies aimed at decreasing the adverse effects of nickel on human health.
Related Concept Videos
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
Periodic Table Provides Information...
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...

