“Adverse outcome pathway” is a concept that describes the chain processes that occur at the biological level after exposure to a chemical substance, leading to adverse results at the cellular and organismal levels.
AOP includes steps that begin with the initial molecular interaction of the chemical and explain how this effect turns into a harmful result at the cellular, tissue and organismal levels. In risk assessments, AOP is used to better understand the effects of chemicals on biological systems and to assess potential risks.