Reactive oxygen species are detoxified in order to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reactive oxygen species can cause damage to cell membranes and other biomolecules, so they need to be detoxified in order to minimize this damage. This is usually accomplished by a variety of antioxidant defense systems, including enzymes like superoxide dismutase and peroxidases, as well as small molecule antioxidants like glutathione and ascorbate. The goal of these systems is to neutralize the reactive oxygen species so that they no longer pose a threat to the cell. Recovering electrons is not the primary purpose of detoxifying reactive oxygen species, although this may be an incidental side effect in some cases. Enhancing electron transport, whether linear or cyclic, is not usually the main goal of antioxidant defense systems.

Reactive Oxygen Species Are Detoxified in Order To