Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes are generally selenium-containing tetrameric glycoproteins that help prevent lipid peroxidation of cell membranes. GPx enzymes reduce lipid hydroperoxides to alcohols, and reduce free hydrogen peroxide to water. GPx members are among the few proteins known in higher vertebrates to contain selenocysteine, which occurs at the active site of glutathione peroxidase and is coded by the nonsense (stop) codon TGA. There are eight GPx homologs (GPx-1-8). GPx-1, Gpx-2 and Gpx-3 exist as homotetramers. Gpx-4 has a high tendancy to form high molecular weight oligomers.

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