Abstract

Membrane redox potentials represent a critical yet underexplored dimension of cancer biology. These potentials, 
generated across mitochondrial and plasma membranes through electron transport and redox-active enzymes, 
tightly regulate bioenergetics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling, and cell fate. In cancer, aberrant shifts in 
membrane redox states foster metabolic reprogramming, adaptation to oxidative stress, and evasion of apoptosis, 
ultimately conferring a survival advantage under hostile microenvironmental conditions. Moreover, altered redox 
potentials modulate ion channels, transporter activity, and redox-sensitive signaling pathways, contributing directly 
to resistance against chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies. This review integrates current knowledge 
on the role of membrane redox potentials in cancer cell survival and therapeutic resistance, emphasizing the 
interplay between redox biology, tumor heterogeneity, and treatment outcomes. We highlight advances in 
methodologies to measure membrane redox states, discuss novel small molecules and nanotechnology-based 
interventions aimed at redox modulation, and propose future directions for exploiting membrane redox 
vulnerabilities as precision oncology strategies.