BIOLOGICAL ROLE OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN MITOCHONDRIA

Abstract

This article focuses on the sources of free radicals in the mitochondria and the specifi city of mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes. In recent years, оxidative stress is associated with many human diseases, including: cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and kidney and liver disorders, a wide range of infl ammatory-r elated diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus. Mitochondria, as the major ATP producer and the major reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant producer exert a crucial role within the cell metabolism. And mitochondria represent an important target for oxidative damage, which can lead to the death of mitochondria and cell, because damaged mitochondria produce increasingly more (ROS). Produced ROS often activate local pools of redox- sensitive enzymes of protective signaling pathways and may directly infl uence cell viability. However, there are also enzymatic and non-enzymatic components of the antioxidant mitochondrial system that help in controlling the oxidant- antioxidant system. Moreover, mitochondrial damage and increased level of free radicals might provide one of the important biomarkers for monitoring diff erent disease progression.