Superoxide dismutases (SOD) are important anti-oxidant enzymes that guard against superoxide toxicity. In humans,as in all mammals and most chordates,three forms of superoxide dismutase (SOD) are present: SOD1 is located in the cytoplasm,SOD2 in the mitochondria,and SOD3 is extracellular. Mitochondrial superoxide dismutase [SOD;manganese SOD (MnSOD) or SOD2] neutralizes highly reactive superoxide radical (O?-2),the first member in the plethora of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species.
