Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

05:16
High Throughput Screening Assessment of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Generation using Dihydroethidium (DHE) Fluorescence Dye
Published on: January 19, 2024
Signal transduction by reactive oxygen species
1Center for Molecular Medicine, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. finkelt@nih.gov
The Journal of Cell Biology
|July 13, 2011
Summary
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now understood to be vital physiological regulators, not just harmful agents. Their signaling impacts cellular functions and disease development.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cellular Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were historically considered solely detrimental.
- Recent research highlights their crucial role in intracellular signaling pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the regulatory functions of ROS in cellular processes.
- To understand the mechanisms by which ROS modulate protein activity.
- To investigate the link between ROS dysregulation and human diseases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of redox-sensitive target proteins.
- Investigation of cysteine residue modifications.
- Examination of enzymatic activity changes due to ROS.
Main Results:
- ROS act as physiological regulators of intracellular signaling.
- Cysteine residue modification by ROS reversibly alters enzymatic activity.
- ROS influence growth factor response and inflammation.
Conclusions:
- ROS are critical signaling molecules with diverse physiological roles.
- Dysregulated ROS signaling is implicated in various human diseases.
- Understanding ROS mechanisms is key for disease intervention.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Oxygen Requirements and Growth Patterns
Microorganisms exhibit diverse oxygen requirements and growth patterns driven by their metabolic strategies and environmental adaptations. Oxygen, while essential for many organisms, can also be toxic under certain conditions, shaping how microorganisms grow and survive.Oxygen Requirements of MicroorganismsMicroorganisms are classified based on their ability to use or tolerate oxygen:● Obligate aerobes like Mycobacterium tuberculosis need oxygen for energy production, as it serves as the...
Radical 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...
Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity
Bioactivation is a metabolic process that transforms less reactive substances into highly reactive metabolites, initiating tissue toxicity. This transformation can lead to various toxic effects, including carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Reactive metabolites are classified into two main types: electrophiles and free radicals.Electrophiles are electron-deficient species and are produced primarily by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 during the metabolism of compounds containing carbon, nitrogen, or...
Redox Reactions
Redox reactions are vital biochemical processes that underpin energy metabolism in cells. These reactions involve the transfer of electrons between molecules, occurring in tandem as oxidation and reduction. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction denotes their gain. This coupling ensures the seamless flow of electrons through metabolic pathways. For example, in bacterial metabolism, glucose undergoes oxidation to carbon dioxide, while oxygen is simultaneously reduced to...
Redox Reactions
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
Signal Transduction: Overview
Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Typically, signal transduction involves three...

