The expression of MTs is tightly regulated and can be induced by various stimuli, including heavy metals, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines. The presence of metals such as cadmium, mercury, and zinc can significantly upregulate the synthesis of MTs. This induction is primarily controlled by the metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1), which binds to specific metal response elements (MREs) in the promoter region of MT genes.
