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Carbon monoxide and human disease

Danielle Morse1, Jigme Sethi

  • 1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, MUH 628NW, 3459 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling
|May 15, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Carbon monoxide (CO), once a waste product, is vital for human health. This review details CO's crucial roles in regulating blood pressure, vascular tone, and neurotransmission, and its links to various diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Carbon monoxide (CO) is endogenously produced from heme breakdown by heme oxygenase.
  • Previously considered a metabolic byproduct, CO is now recognized for significant physiological roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of endogenous carbon monoxide in human health and disease.
  • To highlight CO's involvement in key physiological processes and pathological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific articles and research papers.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge on carbon monoxide's biological functions and disease relevance.

Main Results:

  • Carbon monoxide regulates blood pressure and vascular tone.
  • CO is involved in neurotransmission, stress response, and platelet activation.
  • CO influences smooth muscle relaxation and has implications in various human diseases.

Conclusions:

  • Endogenous carbon monoxide is a critical signaling molecule with diverse physiological functions.
  • Understanding CO's role is essential for comprehending human health and disease mechanisms.
  • Further research into CO's therapeutic potential is warranted.

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