When it does this to the proteins with mercury bound to them, it effectively concentrates the mercury in the kidneys. The mercury can go on to react with other proteins and enzymes in the cells and can eventually kill the kidney cells, leading to diseases associated with kidney failure. Mercury can also damage the central nervous system. Cadmium Cadmium is found in some soils in very high concentration. In Japan, women who eat rice grown on cadmium rich soils have anemia, damaged kidney tubules, and bone and mineral loss.
Scientists believe they understand some of the mechanisms by which cadmium causes damage.
This serves to protect most cells from damage, but in the kidneys the cadmium metal-protein complex is easily absorbed in the tubules. Once inside the kidney cells, the cadmium is released from the MT protein and can accumulate to toxic levels. In the nephrons, it mimics PO 4 and SO 4 . It is filtered out of the filtrate and reabsorbed by the tubule cells and becomes very concentrated. There it can interfere with ATP energy exchange and can become a corrosive acid.