title: Carbon monoxide is not always a poison gas for human organism: Physiological and pharmacological features of CO.
abstract: Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and non-irritating gas. Even a small amount of CO exposure is possibly associated with specific toxic effects. CO is also produced endogenously in the body as a byproduct of heme degradation catalyzed by heme oxygenase. More recently CO has been identified as a gasotransmitter in various biological systems. However, the biological role and the therapeutic potential of carbon monoxide is not clear. This review summarizes the negative and the positive functions of carbon monoxide in various biological systems, including cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: olasb@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olas
mesh_terms: D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D064426:Gasotransmitters / Q000502:physiology; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D064426:Gasotransmitters; D006418:Heme; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
keywords: Blood platelet; Carbon monoxide; Cardiovascular system