The Role of Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Function, and Autophagy in Diabetic Polyneuropathy

Figure 3

Formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in mitochondria. The process is mediated by oxidative phosphorylation and the activity of the mitochondrial NO synthase: in physiological conditions the production of ROS and RNS are reduced by multiple steps that involved SOD, GPx and catalase. When the mitochondria suffers an insult the increase of the leakage of electrons to the matrix leads to an overload to the capacity of the enzymatic systems and leads to toxicity of the cell. Black arrows: vectors of reactions and products. Green arrows: the physiological pathway for formation of oxidative stress. Red arrows: leakage of electron to matrix. Dotted red and orange arrows: pathophysiological pathway for formation of ROS and RNS.