Reactive oxygen species, heat stress and oxidative-induced mitochondrial damage. A review

In recent years there has been enormous interest in researching oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are derived from the metabolism of oxygen as by-products of cell respiration, and are continuously produced in all aerobic organisms. Oxidative stress occurs as a consequence of an imbalance between ROS production and the available antioxidant defence against them. Nowadays, a variety of diseases and degenerative processes such as cancer, Alzheimer's and autoimmune diseases are mediated by oxidative stress. Heat stress was suggested to be an environmental factor responsible for stimulating ROS production because of similarities in responses observed following heat stress compared with that occurring…