Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Reactive Oxygen Species

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen-containing molecules with high chemical reactivity, encompassing free radicals such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals alongside non-radical derivatives such as hydrogen peroxide. They form naturally within cells, largely as by-products of metabolism in the mitochondria, and…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 102× across the literature 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen-containing molecules with high chemical reactivity, encompassing free radicals such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals alongside non-radical derivatives such as hydrogen peroxide. They form naturally within cells, largely as by-products of metabolism in the mitochondria, and can also be produced by enzymes and in response to external stimuli. At the molecular and cellular level, ROS function as double-edged participants in biology. Tightly regulated ROS act as second messengers that influence cell metabolism, signalling pathways, gene expression, and immune defence, and they are implicated in normal processes including ageing. When ROS accumulate beyond the buffering capacity of antioxidant systems, however, the resulting oxidative stress can modify proteins, oxidise lipids, and damage nucleic acids, a state linked to numerous pathologies. Work associated with this topic explores the molecular generation of reactive intermediates, such as superoxide anion radicals arising during methylglyoxal-dependent cross-linking reactions, the redox behaviour of phytochemicals and their effects on DNA, and the antioxidant activity of micronutrients and natural compounds in cell-free systems and cultured cells. The articles range across biochemical assays, cell-line models, and studies of oxidative markers in clinical and physiological settings, illustrating the molecular biology underlying redox regulation.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 102 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Reactive Oxygen Species, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in New Developments in Molecular Biology.

Journal editorial board
Chengyue Zhang · United States MARINA PISCOPO · Italy

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.