Antioxidant Enzymes

Synonyms

Antioxidants; Enzymes; Free radicals; Oxidative stress; Oxygen toxicity; Reactive oxygen species

Definition

Antioxidant enzymes are proteins involved in the catalytic transformation of reactive oxygen species and their by-products into stable nontoxic molecules therefore representing the most important defense mechanism against oxidative stress-induced cell damage.

Characteristics

In biological chemistry, oxidation is the process by which a molecule loses electrons spontaneously or by metabolic coupled reactions.

In cell metabolism, molecule oxidation provides the driven force toward the production of energy-rich intermediates in the form of ATP. Molecule oxidation may be achieved by enzyme-catalyzed reactions or as a result of electron sequestration induced by specific molecules known as oxidants. Clear examples of oxidants are free radicals which are defined as molecules with unpaired electrons in their upper electron layer which explains their high affinity and tendency to...