Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain in Heavy Metal-Induced Neurotoxicity: Effects of Cadmium, Mercury, and Copper

Table 3

Uncoupled respiration rates (%) of PC12 cells after different time of incubation with increasing concentration of Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, or Cu²⁺.

Time (h)	[Hg^2+], μM		[Cd^2+], μM				[Cu^2+], μM
	10	50	10	50	100	500	10	50	100
3	*	*	*	*	*	*
5					*
24		*		*	*	0			*	58±17 *
48	105±5									48±5 *

Rate of oxygen uptake is presented in percentage of the maximal (fully uncoupled) respiration of the control cells. Mean ± SE; 𝑛=3 independent experiments; *𝑃<0.05 compared to untreated control.