Abstract
It is well accepted that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in many biological processes including disease and longevity. Oxidation of proteins has been linked to many disease states and even the aging process itself. This was first proposed as "The free radical theory of aging" in 1956 by Denham Harman which suggests that free radicals causes cumulative and irreversible damage to macromolecules, loss of cellular function and cell death over time directly impacting health and lifespan. Cellular damage from ROS exposure has been termed oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between cellular ROS production and the ability of the cell to regulate ROS levels and repair damage caused by ROS. This review focuses on the role of oxidative stress in the eye lens as a model for understanding the role of oxidative stress systems in age-related human disease.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 141-155 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Bioscience - Elite |
| Volume | 4 E |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Age-related cataract
- Antioxidant defense
- Antioxidant enzymes
- Chaperone proteins
- Lens
- Oxidative stress
- Protein aggregation
- Protein oxidation
- Protein repair
- Reactive oxygen species
- Review
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General Immunology and Microbiology
