Date Thesis Awarded

5-2010

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Chemistry

Advisor

Lisa M. Landino

Committee Members

Robert J. Hinkle

Gary Rice

Margaret Somosi Saha

Abstract

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defenses (1). Free radicals are an unavoidable by-product of many biochemical processes, and in the case of activated neutrophils, are deliberately formed. Oxidative stressors such as infection, inflammation, metabolic abnormalities, or environmental contaminants overwhelm the body's defense mechanisms allowing reactive oxygen species concentrations to increase. This increase in ROS can cause damage to biological macromolecules including proteins, lipids and DNA. An accumulation of oxidative damage is the underlying cause of many diseases because oxidative metabolism is an essential part of every cell's metabolism (2). It has been suggested that accumulation over a long period of time plays a significant role in the aging process, inflammatory diseases (arthritis, vasculitis), heart disease, and several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Comments

Thesis is part of Honors ETD pilot project, 2008-2013. Migrated from Dspace in 2016.

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