New concepts in reactive oxygen species and cardiovascular reperfusion physiology

Increasingly complex behavior of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are noted within biological systems. Classically free radicals and ROS were considered injurious, however current mechanisms describe both protective and deleterious effects. A burst of ROS has been well described with the first moments of reperfusion and is associated with injury. However ROS can also be protective as signal preconditioning protection and induce stress responses that lead to survival. ROS generation is appreciated to occur during ischemia despite the low oxygen tension, from a likely mitochondria source, and ROS-induced ROS release may amplify its signal. The burst of ROS seen during reperfusion may originate…