Prostaglandins (PGs) belong to a subclass of eicosanoids and are classified based on the structures of the cyclopentane ring and their number of double bonds in their hydrocarbon structures. PGs are important lipid mediators that are involved in inflammatory response. The biosynthesis of diverse PGs from unsaturated C20 fatty acids containing at least three double bonds such as dihomo-γ-linoleic acid (20:3^Δ8Z,11Z,14Z), arachidonic acid (20:4^{Δ5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z}), and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5^{Δ5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z}) is enables by various PG synthases, including prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS), 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-HPGD), PGES, PGDS, PGFS, PGIS, and thromboxane A synthase (TXAS). This review summarizes the biochemical properties, reaction mechanism, and active site details of PG synthases. Because PGs are involved in the immune system, an understanding of PG synthases is important in the design of new anti-inflammatory drugs. The biosynthesis of PGs in various organisms, such as mammals, corals, florideae (a class of red algae), yeast, and fungi, is also introduced. The expression of PG synthases in the microbial systems for the synthesis of PGs is discussed. Now, the biosynthesis of PGs from glucose or glycerol is possible using metabolically engineered cells expressing both unsaturated fatty acid-producing enzymes and PG synthases.

前列腺素（PG）属于类二十烷酸的一类，根据环戊烷环的结构及其在烃结构中的双键数量进行分类。PG是重要的脂质介体，参与炎症反应。：由不饱和C20脂肪酸的含有至少三个双键，如二高-γ-γ亚油酸（3 20多样的PGs的生物合成^{Δ8 Ž，11 Ž，14 Ž}，花生四烯酸（20）：4 ^{Δ5 Ž，8 ž， 11 ž，14 ž}）和二十碳五烯酸（20：5 ^{Δ5 ž，8 ž，11 ž，14 ž，17ž}）可通过多种PG合酶实现，包括前列腺素H合酶（PGHS），15-羟基前列腺素脱氢酶（15-HPGD），PGES，PGDS，PGFS，PGIS和血栓烷A合酶（TXAS）。这篇综述总结了PG合酶的生化特性，反应机理和活性位点细节。由于PG参与免疫系统，因此对PG合成酶的了解在新的抗炎药的设计中很重要。还介绍了PGs在各种生物中的生物合成，例如哺乳动物，珊瑚，鸢尾科（一类红藻），酵母和真菌。讨论了PG合成酶在微生物系统中用于PG合成的表达。现在，使用表达不饱和脂肪酸产生酶和PG合酶的代谢工程化细胞，可以从葡萄糖或甘油生物合成PG。