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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
Free radicals: Relationship to Human Diseases and Potential Therapeutic applications
Bozidarka L Zaric1, Mirjana T Macvanin1, Esma R Isenovic1
1Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Abstract:
Reactive species are highly-reactive enzymatically, or non-enzymatically produced compounds with important roles in physiological and pathophysiological cellular processes. Although reactive species represent an extensively researched topic in biomedical sciences, many aspects of their roles and functions remain unclear. This review aims to systematically summarize findings regarding the biochemical characteristics of various types of reactive species and specify the localization and mechanisms of their production in cells. In addition, we discuss the specific roles of free radicals in cellular physiology, focusing on the current lines of research that aim to identify the reactive oxygen species-initiated cascades of reactions resulting in adaptive or pathological cellular responses. Finally, we present recent findings regarding the therapeutic modulations of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species, which may have substantial significance in developing novel agents for treating several diseases.
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