Benefits of ROS
ROS function in cells as signaling molecules, but are also thought of as the unavoidable toxic byproducts of aerobic metabolism.
Some organisms display tolerance to extreme ROS levels, highlighting the possibility that ROS might not be as toxic as previously thought.
Some cell death processes originally thought to result from the direct toxicity of ROS (i.e., oxidative stress) were recently shown to be part of a programmed/physiological cell death pathway.
Recent studies suggest that a basal level of ROS is necessary for basic biological processes such as cellular proliferation and differentiation.
ROS are predominantly beneficial to cells, supporting basic cellular processes and viability, and oxidative stress is only an outcome of a deliberate activation of a physiological cell death pathway.
Maintaining a basal level of ROS in cells is essential for life.
https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(16)30112-1
