Explain how oxygen free radicals are produced during metabolism, and discuss the role of antioxidants in combating these damaging molecules.
What will be an ideal response?
Answers may vary.Oxygen is used during metabolism to change carbohydrates and fats into energy. During this process, oxygen is transformed into stable forms of water and carbon dioxide. A small amount of oxygen, however, ends up in an unstable form, referred to as oxygen free radicals. A free radical molecule has a normal proton nucleus with a single unpaired electron. Having only one electron makes the free radical extremely reactive, and it looks constantly to pair its electron with one from another molecule. When a free radical steals a second electron from another molecule, that other molecule in turn becomes a free radical. This chain reaction goes on until two free radicals meet to form a stable molecule.?Free radicals attack and damage proteins and lipids—in particular, cell membranes and DNA. This damage is thought to contribute to the development of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, emphysema, cataracts, Parkinson's disease, and premature aging. Solar radiation, cigarette smoke, air pollution, radiation, some drugs, injury, infection, chemicals (e.g., pesticides), and other environmental factors also seem to encourage the formation of free radicals. Antioxidants are thought to offer protection by absorbing free radicals before they can cause damage and by interrupting the sequence of reactions once damage has begun, thwarting certain chronic diseases.The body's own antioxidant defense systems typically neutralize free radicals so that they don't cause damage. When free radicals are produced faster than the body can neutralize them, they can damage the cells. Research, however, indicates that the body's antioxidant defense system improves as fitness improves. That is, physically fit people have greater protection against free radicals.
You might also like to view...
A 6-month-old infant has been hospitalized with acute bronchiolitis. Which of the following treatments should be prioritized in the infant's care?
A) Supplementary oxygen therapy B) Intravenous antibiotics C) Transfusion of fresh frozen plasma D) Tracheotomy
The prefix poly- means "five."
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
During the Sydney Olympics, athletes from North and South Korea demanded to form a single team that represented both Koreas in the hope that this would bring about a unification of Korea.
Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)
Which bacterial infection affects the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord and for which college students living in dormitories are at a higher risk than other populations?
A) tuberculosis B) pneumonia C) meningitis D) influenza