Final answer:
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause damages to macromolecules such as protein, DNA, and lipids. Damage to these cellular components can lead to various diseases and contribute to the aging process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause damages to macromolecules (such as protein, DNA and lipids).
Oxidative stress is the term used to describe damage to cellular components caused by ROS.
Due to their characteristic unpaired electrons, ROS can set off chain reactions where they remove electrons from other molecules, which then become oxidized and reactive, and do the same to other molecules, causing a chain reaction.
ROS can cause permanent damage to cellular lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Damaged DNA can lead to genetic mutations and even cancer.
Other diseases believed to be triggered or exacerbated by ROS include Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, arthritis, Huntington's disease, and schizophrenia, among many others. Many scientists believe that oxidative stress is a major contributor to the aging process.