Iron toxicity primarily results from its ability to participate in redox reactions, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS can cause significant damage to cellular components, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. The body typically keeps iron in a non-reactive form, bound to proteins such as ferritin or transferrin, but when iron accumulates excessively, these mechanisms are overwhelmed, resulting in free iron that catalyzes the formation of ROS.
