Glutathione system protein

In its biochemical functions, ascorbic acid acts as a regulator in tissue respiration and tends to serve as an antioxidant in vitro by reducing oxidizing chemicals. The effectiveness of ascorbic acid as an antioxidant when added to various processed food products, such as meats, is described in entry on Antioxidants. In plant tissues, the related glutathione system of oxidation and reduction is fairly widely distributed and there is evidence that election transfer reactions involving ascorbic acid are characteristic of animal systems. Peroxidase systems also may involve reactions with ascorbic acid In plants, either of two copper-protein enzymes are commonly involved in the oxidation of ascorbic acid. 

The mature erythrocyte cannot synthesize new membrane proteins or lipids. However, membrane lipids can be freely exchanged with circulating lipoprotein lipids. The glutathione system protects the proteins and lipids from oxidative damage. 

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