Oxygen biological role

Although oxygen radicals are destructive to islet cells, the inability of nicotinamide, Probucol, and other free radical scavengers to completely prevent cytokine mediated islet destruction suggests that other cytotoxic mechanisms may be involved in cytokine-induced islet-cell lysis. The possible interactions of superoxide with nitric oxide resulting in the generation of peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals may contribute to islet-cell lysis. The chemistry of these free radical interactions, and potential biological roles t)f these toxic radicals are reviewed in this book (see Chapter 1). 

The elements of groups 13—16 fall into three categories (Fig. 1.3), the metalloids, the other metals, and the nonmetals. The important biological role of some of the nonmetals, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and selenium together with the halogens, chlorine and iodine, will be discussed in Chapter 18. 

Of the more highly oxygenated products from arachidonic acid, the compound which has attracted the greatest attention both biologically and synthetically is leukotriene B4 (LTB4, Scheme 1.4). A number of other polyoxygenated derivatives are known in addition to those in Schemes 1.4 and 1.6, but less is known about their biological roles and they have been the object of little synthetic effort. 

Nick Lane breaks out of the mould with a provocative discussion of oxygen s role in evolutionary biology, age-related diseases, and the life and death of human beings... The questions he addresses are of immeasurable practical concern... Lane s exhaustive research is reflected in his tight arguments and crisp prose. ... 

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