Cellular oxygen sensors and signal transduction / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

Hypoxia is a commenest pathological process. The cellular oxygen sensors and signal transduction involved in hypoxic responses are so far not fully elucidated. There are many theories. Perhaps the oxygen sensors are different among different kinds of cells, and between acute and chronic hypoxic responses. The mitochondria cytochrom-oxidase-H_2O_2 might be the principal pathway leading to the constrictive response of pulmonary smooth muscle cells to hypoxia. The heme protein - reactive oxygen pathway might mediate the response of glomus cells in carotid body to hypoxia. The NADPH oxidase might be the oxygen sensor in airway chemoreceptor. As for chronic hypoxic responses, the oxygen dependent regulation of hypoxia-inducible factors by prolyl and asparaginyl hydroxylation has been paid great attention in recent years.