Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026

A Sensitive Visual Method for the Detection of Hydrogen Sulfide Producing Bacteria
Published on: June 27, 2022
Hydrogen Sulfide in Physiology and Diseases of the Digestive Tract
Sudha B Singh1,2, Henry C Lin3
1Section of Gastroenterology, Medicine Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA. sbsingh14@salud.unm.edu.
Abstract:
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a Janus-faced molecule. On one hand, several toxic functions have been attributed to H₂S and exposure to high levels of this gas is extremely hazardous to health. On the other hand, H₂S delivery based clinical therapies are being developed to combat inflammation, visceral pain, oxidative stress related tissue injury, thrombosis and cancer. Since its discovery, H₂S has been found to have pleiotropic effects on physiology and health. H₂S is a gasotransmitter that exerts its effect on different systems, such as gastrointestinal, neuronal, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and hepatic systems. In the gastrointestinal tract, in addition to H₂S production by mammalian cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), H₂S is also generated by the metabolic activity of resident gut microbes, mainly by colonic Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) via a dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR) pathway. In the gut, H₂S regulates functions such as inflammation, ischemia/ reperfusion injury and motility. H₂S derived from gut microbes has been found to be associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome. This underscores the importance of gut microbes and their production of H₂S on host physiology and pathophysiology.
More Related Videos
08:37Measurement of H2S in Crude Oil and Crude Oil Headspace Using Multidimensional Gas Chromatography, Deans Switching and Sulfur-selective Detection
Published on: December 10, 2015
07:34Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production
Published on: March 22, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Other Disorders of Digestive System
Sulfur Assimilation
Physiology of the Gastrointestinal System II: Digestion and Absorption
Digestion begins in the mouth, where food undergoes mechanical breakdown by chewing and combines with saliva. Salivary amylase, an enzyme in saliva, starts the breakdown of starches into maltose. The food then travels down the esophagus to the stomach.
In the stomach, a...
Peptic Ulcer Disease I: Introduction
An acute ulcer, marked by superficial erosion and minimal inflammation, swiftly resolves upon identifying and addressing the underlying cause. In contrast, a chronic ulcer persists, potentially eroding through the muscular wall and forming fibrous tissue.
Peptic ulcers can also be...
What is Monogastric Digestion?
Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides