Biomaterial Database

Free radicals in cell biology. 2004

Vidosava B Djordjević

Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Serbia and Montenegro USA.

In aerobic cells, free radicals are constantly produced mostly as reactive oxygen species. Once produced, free radicals are removed by antioxidant defenses including enzyme catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Reactive oxygen species, including nitric oxide and related species, commonly exert a series of useful physiological effects. However, imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant defenses in favor of prooxidants results in oxidative stress associated with the oxidative modification of biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Alone or in combination with primary ethiological factors, free radicals are involved in a pathogenesis of more than a hundred diseases. This chapter reviews the basic science of some of the potential sources and characteristics of free radicals, as well as antioxidant enzymes. Special attention is paid to the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and immunology-mediated inflammatory reaction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007249	Inflammation	A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.	Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D010088	Oxidoreductases	The class of all enzymes catalyzing oxidoreduction reactions. The substrate that is oxidized is regarded as a hydrogen donor. The systematic name is based on donor:acceptor oxidoreductase. The recommended name will be dehydrogenase, wherever this is possible; as an alternative, reductase can be used. Oxidase is only used in cases where O2 is the acceptor. (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992, p9)	Dehydrogenases,Oxidases,Oxidoreductase,Reductases,Dehydrogenase,Oxidase,Reductase
D002477	Cells	The fundamental, structural, and functional units or subunits of living organisms. They are composed of CYTOPLASM containing various ORGANELLES and a CELL MEMBRANE boundary.	Cell
D005609	Free Radicals	Highly reactive molecules with an unsatisfied electron valence pair. Free radicals are produced in both normal and pathological processes. Free radicals include reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). They are proven or suspected agents of tissue damage in a wide variety of circumstances including radiation, damage from environment chemicals, and aging. Natural and pharmacological prevention of free radical damage is being actively investigated.	Free Radical
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000975	Antioxidants	Naturally occurring or synthetic substances that inhibit or retard oxidation reactions. They counteract the damaging effects of oxidation in animal tissues.	Anti-Oxidant,Antioxidant,Antioxidant Activity,Endogenous Antioxidant,Endogenous Antioxidants,Anti-Oxidant Effect,Anti-Oxidant Effects,Anti-Oxidants,Antioxidant Effect,Antioxidant Effects,Activity, Antioxidant,Anti Oxidant,Anti Oxidant Effect,Anti Oxidant Effects,Anti Oxidants,Antioxidant, Endogenous,Antioxidants, Endogenous
D001161	Arteriosclerosis	Thickening and loss of elasticity of the walls of ARTERIES of all sizes. There are many forms classified by the types of lesions and arteries involved, such as ATHEROSCLEROSIS with fatty lesions in the ARTERIAL INTIMA of medium and large muscular arteries.	Arterioscleroses
D016166	Free Radical Scavengers	Substances that eliminate free radicals. Among other effects, they protect PANCREATIC ISLETS against damage by CYTOKINES and prevent myocardial and pulmonary REPERFUSION INJURY.	Free Radical Scavenger,Radical Scavenger, Free,Scavenger, Free Radical,Scavengers, Free Radical
D018384	Oxidative Stress	A disturbance in the prooxidant-antioxidant balance in favor of the former, leading to potential damage. Indicators of oxidative stress include damaged DNA bases, protein oxidation products, and lipid peroxidation products (Sies, Oxidative Stress, 1991, pxv-xvi).	Anti-oxidative Stress,Antioxidative Stress,DNA Oxidative Damage,Nitro-Oxidative Stress,Oxidative Cleavage,Oxidative DNA Damage,Oxidative Damage,Oxidative Injury,Oxidative Nitrative Stress,Oxidative Stress Injury,Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress,Stress, Oxidative,Anti oxidative Stress,Anti-oxidative Stresses,Antioxidative Stresses,Cleavage, Oxidative,DNA Damage, Oxidative,DNA Oxidative Damages,Damage, DNA Oxidative,Damage, Oxidative,Damage, Oxidative DNA,Injury, Oxidative,Injury, Oxidative Stress,Nitrative Stress, Oxidative,Nitro Oxidative Stress,Nitro-Oxidative Stresses,Oxidative Cleavages,Oxidative DNA Damages,Oxidative Damage, DNA,Oxidative Damages,Oxidative Injuries,Oxidative Nitrative Stresses,Oxidative Stress Injuries,Oxidative Stresses,Stress Injury, Oxidative,Stress, Anti-oxidative,Stress, Antioxidative,Stress, Nitro-Oxidative,Stress, Oxidative Nitrative,Stresses, Nitro-Oxidative