S-(methylmercury)-L-cysteine

S-(Methylmercury)-L-cysteine is a synthetic organomercury compound formed by the conjugation of methylmercury with the amino acid L-cysteine. It is not an approved pharmaceutical drug but is studied as an experimental small molecule, primarily in toxicology and environmental health research. This compound mimics methionine structurally and can be transported into cells via amino acid transporters, facilitating the cellular uptake of methylmercury—a highly neurotoxic environmental contaminant. The primary significance of S-(methylmercury)-L-cysteine lies in its role as a model for understanding how methylmercury enters biological systems and exerts toxicity[1][2][7][9].

Other names

S-(methylmercury)-L-cysteineCMH