Mitochondrial and Ageing

Question 1

What is the mitochondrial free radical theory?

Answer 1

• Damage to mitochondria and cellular proteins from free radicals generated in mitochondria causes cell ageing
• Accumulation of damaged protein in cells causes cellular processes to work poorly
• Loss of DNA repair efficiency with age leads to somatic mutation

Question 2

What is oxidative damage?

Answer 2

95% of a cell’s energy is produced in the mitochondria
- Most O2 is utilised in the mitochondria
- O2 is required for animal life, but O2 is damaging– high concentrations are toxic to most plants and animals

Question 3

Why is oxygen and toxic at high levels?

Answer 3

• Damage caused by free radical production
• chemicals with an unpaired elctrons are highly reactive and can readily combine wirh other molecules
• free radicals are thermodynamically unstable and can react with most moleucles and break down covalent bonds