Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress: The Role of Mitochondria in Aging and Mortality

Abstract

Free radicals are important in living systems and the antioxidant defense system is required to regulate and

balance them to maintain the life of the organism. Oxygen toxicity is one of the most important reasons of

diseases and aging. The key to longer life span of an organism lies with reduction of formation of oxyradicals.

We propose that mitochondria being the site of free radical production and control during cellular respiration,

are the main organelle responsible for aging. We also discuss the possibility of upregulation of apoptosis by

the mitochondrial route by which one can indefinitely prolong the life of a cell and hence of an organism.