Free Radical Damage to Motor Neurons
Reactive oxygen species (ROS), or free radicals, are generated as a result of metabolic processes. These free radicals have at least one unpaired electron, which renders them chemically unstable and highly reactive with other molecules in the body. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is located near the inner mitochondrial membrane, and lacks advanced DNA repair mechanisms, making mtDNA particularly susceptible to damage from ROS. Cells respond to oxidative damage by neutralizing free radicals through antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Eventually, damage accumulates due to the inability of cells to repair damage as quickly as it arises.
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