Free Radicals Run In Lizard Families

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Genetics
Article Date: 24 Jan 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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In lizards, the level of free radicals - molecules that cause damage to cells, tissues and DNA - runs in families, says research published yesterday in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters.

Researchers from the University of Wollongong found that the production of free radicals was higher in adults than children and varied between different families of lizard species. Currently, very little is known about the genetic properties of free radicals and this new research could help us understand the process of ageing.

Free radicals are released during chemical reactions and speed up the aging process. In humans, they are linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes. As we get older, so do the cells in our body which begin producing more free oxygen radicals.

Royal Society