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Abstract
Metal ions play an important role in biological systems, and without their catalytic
presence in trace or ultratrace amounts many essential co-factors for many biochemical
reactions would not take place. However, they become toxic to cells when their concentrations
surpass certain optimal (natural) levels. Copper is an essential metal. Catalytic
copper, because of its mobilization and redox activity, is believed to play a central
role in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as O2-* and *OH radicals,
that bind very fast to DNA, and produce damage by breaking the DNA strands or modifying
the bases and/or deoxyribose leading to carcinogenesis. The chemistry and biochemistry
of copper is briefly accounted together with its involvement in cancer and other diseases.