Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
14:22
Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
Free radicals and cell chemiluminescence
Yu A Vladimirov1, E V Proskurnina
1Faculty of Basic Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lomonosovsky pr. 31/5, Moscow, Russia. yuvlad@mail.ru
Biochemistry. Biokhimiia
|March 10, 2010
Summary
Chemiluminescence (CL) offers a sensitive method to study free radicals in biological systems. This review details CL applications for analyzing radical reactions in cells and tissues, enhancing medical and biological research.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Free-radical reactions are crucial in biological processes and disease.
- Studying these radicals directly is challenging.
- Chemiluminescence (CL) has emerged as a key technique.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of chemiluminescence for studying free-radical reactions.
- To highlight the advantages of CL over other methods.
- To present diverse applications in biological and clinical research.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of intrinsic ultraweak luminescence.
- Enhanced CL detection using chemical (probes) and physical (sensitizers) activators.
- Comparison with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) for radical investigation.
Main Results:
- CL intensity is directly proportional to steady-state radical concentration (e.g., lipid and oxygen radicals).
- Mechanisms of CL reactions with and without activators (luminol, lucigenin) are discussed.
- CL provides sensitive and specific radical detection.
Conclusions:
- Chemiluminescence is a powerful tool for direct free-radical investigation in biological samples.
- The method's sensitivity and specificity are enhanced by activators.
- CL has broad applications in estimating phagocytic and antioxidant activity, toxicity, and more.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Photoluminescence: Applications
Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...
01:20Radical Autoxidation
The oxidation of an organic compound in the presence of air or oxygen is called autoxidation. For example, cumene reacts with oxygen to form hydroperoxide. Autoxidation involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Many organic compounds are susceptible to autoxidation—especially ethers in the presence of oxygen, which form hydroperoxides. Even though this reaction is slow, old ether bottles contain small amounts of peroxide, which leads to laboratory explosions during ether...
01:11Radical Reactivity: Overview
Radicals, the highly reactive species, gain stability by undergoing three different reactions. The first reaction involves a radical-radical coupling, in which a radical combines with another radical, forming a spin‐paired molecule. The second reaction is between a radical and a spin‐paired molecule, generating a new radical and a new spin‐paired molecule. The third reaction is radical decomposition in a unimolecular reaction, forming a new radical and a spin‐paired molecule. These three...