reactive oxygen species
Type: molecule Aliases: ROSreactive oxygen molecules
- Systems Analogy Natural chemical exhaust sparks that cause damage if the body cannot clear them fast enough.
- Formal Definition Highly reactive oxygen-containing chemicals (such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide) that can damage DNA, lipids, and proteins.
Mentioned In
- Moleculeantioxidant
- Processoxidative stress
Scientific Sources & Literature Citations
- [1] Empirical Study Ma Q. Role of Nrf2 in Oxidative Stress and Toxicity. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2013;53:401-426. ↗
"ROS are generated as byproducts of normal mitochondrial metabolism."