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Other literature type . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Other ORP type . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Other ORP type . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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Photonic-Induced Ferroptosis: Reinterpreting John Ott's Experiments Through the Lens of the Iron Trap Hypothesis

Authors: Millar, David;

Photonic-Induced Ferroptosis: Reinterpreting John Ott's Experiments Through the Lens of the Iron Trap Hypothesis

Abstract

This paper revisits the pioneering contributions of John Nash Ott, a mid-20th-century photobiologist whose innovative time-lapse photography and controlled animal experiments demonstrated significant physiological and behavioral disruptions caused by artificial lighting deficient in full-spectrum wavelengths. Long regarded as anecdotal or inadequately explained, Ott's observations are reexamined here through the modern frameworks of redox biology and ferroptosis, providing a cohesive mechanistic explanation that bridges historical insights with cutting-edge science. Grounded in the Iron Trap Hypothesis, the analysis posits that spectral imbalances from unnatural light sources impair circadian entrainment, diminish NAD⁺ and melatonin synthesis, and attenuate Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. These perturbations culminate in the sequestration of reactive iron species within tissues, precipitating lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ferroptosis—an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic cell death modality increasingly linked to prevalent conditions such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders. By synthesizing Ott's empirical findings with recent redox-focused studies (2024–2025), this paper reframes his work as a visionary antecedent rather than an anomaly, illuminating the interplay between environmental light exposure, iron homeostasis, and biological coherence. It establishes a novel interdisciplinary paradigm at the intersection of photobiology, environmental health, and oxidative stress research, with implications for preventive strategies in light-polluted modern environments. Keywords: John Nash Ott, ferroptosis, Iron Trap Hypothesis, redox biology, photobiomodulation, circadian disruption, Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurodegeneration, full-spectrum light.

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citations
The total number of citations received by all articles of the researcher of interest.
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average