: Triggered by environmental factors such as UV radiation, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and certain medications. 3. Key Reactive Species
: Primarily generated in the mitochondria during energy production, but also by phagocytes during immune responses and through metabolic pathways like those involving transition metals (iron, copper). Free radicals in biology and medicine
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons that play a "double-edged" role in biology: they are essential for life-sustaining processes like cellular signaling and immune defense, yet they can also cause significant cellular damage when their levels become unregulated. : Triggered by environmental factors such as UV