11 Facts About Free-radical theory

Free radical theory of aging states that organisms age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time.

Strictly speaking, the free radical Free-radical theory is only concerned with free radicals such as superoxide, but it has since been expanded to encompass oxidative damage from other reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide, or peroxynitrite.

Denham Harman first proposed the free radical Free-radical theory of aging in the 1950s, and in the 1970s extended the idea to implicate mitochondrial production of ROS.

Free radical Free-radical theory of aging was conceived by Denham Harman in the 1950s, when prevailing scientific opinion held that free radicals were too unstable to exist in biological systems.

In later years, the free radical Free-radical theory was expanded to include not only aging per se, but age-related diseases.

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Since Harman first proposed the free radical Free-radical theory of aging, there have been continual modifications and extensions to his original Free-radical theory.

One of the main criticisms of the free radical Free-radical theory of aging is directed at the suggestion that free radicals are responsible for the damage of biomolecules, thus being a major reason for cellular senescence and organismal aging.

Mitochondrial theory of aging was first proposed in 1978, and two years later, the mitochondrial free-radical theory of aging was introduced.

The Free-radical theory implicates the mitochondria as the chief target of radical damage, since there is a known chemical mechanism by which mitochondria can produce ROS, mitochondrial components such as mtDNA are not as well protected as nuclear DNA, and by studies comparing damage to nuclear and mtDNA that demonstrate higher levels of radical damage on the mitochondrial molecules.

Brewer's Free-radical theory suggests "sedentary behaviour associated with age triggers an oxidized redox shift and impaired mitochondrial function".

Metabolic stability Free-radical theory of aging suggests it is the cells ability to maintain stable concentration of ROS which is the primary determinant of lifespan.