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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Nov 12.
Published in final edited form as: Contrib Microbiol. 2008;15:164–187. doi: 10.1159/000136357

Figure 3. Oxygen metabolites of phagocytes.

Figure 3

A variety of reactive oxygen species are formed inside the phagosome. The phagocyitic NADPH oxidase (Nox2-based) produces intraphagosomal superoxide by consuming cytosolic NADPH and transporting electrons across the membrane. The superoxide anions can be further dismutated into hydrogen peroxide by superoxide dismutase or converted into peroxynitrite by nitric oxide. Catalase dismantles H2O2 into water and oxygen. Myeloperoxidase catalyzes formation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) from chloride and H2O2. See text for further details.