The generation of ATP via oxidative phosphorylation provides the energy required by aerobic organisms to sustain themselves. This process is localized to the mitochondria, where electrons are passed among the components of the electron transport chain where there is an inevitability of leakage of the highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide, with it having been estimated that 1%-2% of the oxygen being used for mitochondrial respiration is converted to superoxide. With its short halflife and extreme reactivity, there is a strong potential for the superoxide radical to interact with biomolecules, resulting in oxidative damage that could have a profound effect on cellular function and survivability. As described below, eukaryotic cells have evolved defense mechanisms to protect themselves from the adverse effects of superoxide accumulation and the strategic location of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in the mitochondria is a principle one of these. As a consequence of the dismutation of superoxide by MnSOD, the less reactive hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is generated, which can diffuse through the mitochondrial membrane where it can have its own host of biological consequences. The management of the appropriate levels of ROS is the domain of a host of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione and enzymes that can neutralize ROS. Oxidative stress occurs when the levels of ROS exceed the cell's abilities to maintain them at their appropriate levels. While less considered, the elimination of ROS past the ideal levels to support cellular function may also occur, and this has been referred to as reductive stress.
ROS as important signaling moleculesAerobic organisms have not only evolved to take advantage of the enhanced energy production that can be achieved by the consumption of oxygen via the electron transport chain, but have also evolved to use ROS as potent signaling molecules. Fluctuations in ROS can be due to changes in environmental stimuli or intrinsic metabolic activity, and examples abound throughout phylogeny indicating the sensing of and response to one ROS, H 2 O 2 . As examples, plants use an oxidative burst that generates H 2 O 2 that serves as a diffusible signal to induce apoptosis in pathogenexposed cells while stimulating antioxidant enzymes in adjacent tissues (Levine et al., 1994), and a H 2 O 2 gradient generated at the tissue level in zebrafish mediates wound healing and leukocyte recruitment (Niethammer et al., 2009). One of the first examples of H 2 O 2 being critical for normal mammalian functions was the demonstration that the production of H 2 O 2 could stimulate platelet-Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated during mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. Accumulation of ROS without an effective antioxidant response can lead to oxidative stress, resulting in macromolecular damage that is implicated in the etiology of various diseases including cancer. ROS detoxification is regulated by various antioxidant proteins, specifically manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD),...