Abstract
It has been known that about two thirds of the biological effects of ionizing radiation (X-and gamma rays, IR) may be caused by an indirect action od free radicals (in which the recoil electrons interact with water molecules to produce hydroxyl radicals that difuse to target molecules). On the other hand, radiation-induced events which cannot be explained by the indirect effects, such as apoptosis, have been also reported. IR can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) during irradiation and also irradiated cells can generate ROS on an extended time scale following exposure. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the time-and spatial distribution of intracellular ROS to evaluate their roles in these events. Here, we are focusing on the role of mitochondria in radiation-induced damage discussing on the significance of ROS in radiation biology.
