Cancer Tumor Angiogenesis and Blood Vessels: Understanding How Tumors SpreadCancer stem cells or tumor-instating cells are responsible for the formation of tumors. These cancer cells have the ability to quickly reshape, destroy or fuse with existing blood vessels, giving them access to more nutrients and oxygen. Unfortunately, this also leads to the spread of tumors to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.Tumors release protein factors that stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, a process called tumor angiogenesis. It's important to note that this is different from angiogenesis, which is the growth of blood vessels during the healing process. By understanding how tumor angiogenesis works, we can develop new medical techniques to fight cancer and prevent its spread to other parts of the body. ... See MoreSee Less
The hypoxia is due to the following mechanism: a decrease in breathable oxygen, reduced or cardiopulmonary failure. The lungs are unable to transfer oxygen from the alveoli to the blood efficiently. If blood oxygen levels are too low, your body may not work correctly. Diseases of the blood, heart, circulation, and lungs may be the most common causes of hypoxia. ... See MoreSee Less
The effects of hypoxia in cancer include reduction of blood circulation in any area of the body. Hypoxia alters cancer cell metabolism and contributes to therapy resistance.
The sympathetic nervous system is the part of the autonomic nervous system that controls the body's fight-or-flight response. It is responsible for the body's survival instincts, preparing it to deal with danger. The sympathetic nervous system triggers the release of adrenaline and other stress hormones, which increase heart rate, breathing, and blood sugar levels. These changes give the body extra energy and strength to deal with a stressful situation.... See MoreSee Less
We can't live without oxygen. Our cells rely on oxygen as the final acceptor of electrons in respiration, allowing us to extract far more energy from food than would be possible without oxygen. But oxygen is also a dangerous compound. When it reacts with other molecules, it can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage cells. To prevent this damage, our cells have evolved multiple mechanisms to keep ROS levels in check.
One important way that cells control ROS levels is through the use of enzymes called antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a response to environmental and other pressures. The body also needs antioxidant enzymes to clean up these dangerous molecules.
There are many types of antioxidant enzymes, each with a specific role to play in protecting cells from ROS. One important type of antioxidant enzyme is superoxide dismutase (SOD). Dismutase in this context means to break down, and SOD breaks down SO into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. While hydrogen peroxide is itself a reactive compound, but it is not as reactive as superoxide, it can still damage cells. To prevent this, another type of antioxidant enzyme, catalase, breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. SOD and catalase are just two of the many antioxidant enzymes that our cells use to control ROS levels. These enzymes are essential for keeping our cells healthy and preventing disease.
Zn is an important mineral for the body because it helps to protect cells from damage. Researchers have determined that one out of every ten collisions between superoxide (SO) and the enzyme will lead to a reaction. This is far more than expected, since the active site covers only a small portion of the enzyme surface, and we might expect that most collisions would occur somewhere else on the surface.
The shape and characteristics of the active site, however, may give some hints to this efficiency. The active site is funnel-shaped, with copper and zinc (colored green here) at the base of the funnel. The strong positive charge of the metal ions, along with two nearby positively-charged amino acids (colored blue here), serve to draw the negatively-charged SO (red) into the funnel. Structure of Structure Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase
Superoxides and Superoxide Dismutase: Physiology, Biochemistry, and Inorganic Mechanism
SOD has recently gained notoriety for its connection with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Recent research has shown that one of the mutations is found in the gene for SOD. Scientists are now studying the role of SOD in the disease, hoping that this knowledge will lead to new treatments and cures.
The list of pathophysiological conditions that are associated with the overproduction of SO anions expands every day. The most exciting realization is that there seems to be a similarity between the tissue injury that is observed in various disease states, as SO anions produce tissue injury and associated inflammation in all tissues in similar ways.
Tissue injury and inflammation form the basis of many disease pathologies, including ischemia and reperfusion injuries, radiation injury, hyperoxic lung damage, and atherosclerosis. This commonality provides a unique opportunity to manipulate numerous disease states with an agent that removes SO anions. Superoxide anions produce tissue injury and associated inflammation
Mitochondrial Theory of Aging
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