Since the discovery of new members of the globin superfamily such as Cytoglobin, Neuroglobin and Globin X, in addition to the most well-known members, Hemoglobin and Myoglobin, different hypotheses have been suggested about their function in vertebrates. Globins are ubiquitously found in living organisms and can carry out different functions based on their ability to bind ligands such as O₂, and nitric oxide (NO) and to catalyze reactions scavenging NO or generating NO by reducing nitrite. NO is a highly diffusible molecule with a central role in signaling important for egg maturation, fertilization and early embryonic development. The globins ability to scavenge or generate NO makes these proteins ideal candidates in regulating NO homeostasis depending on the micro environment and tissue NO demands. Different amounts of various globins have been found in zebrafish eggs and developing embryos where it's unlikely that they function as respiratory proteins and instead could play a role in maintaining embryonic NO homeostasis. Here we summarize the current knowledge concerning the role of NO in adult fish in comparison to mammals and we discuss NO function during embryonic development with possible implications for globins in maintaining embryonic NO homeostasis.

自从发现球蛋白超家族的新成员（如细胞球蛋白，神经球蛋白和球蛋白X）以来，除了最知名的成员血红蛋白和肌红蛋白外，关于它们在脊椎动物中的功能，提出了不同的假设。球蛋白普遍存在于活生物体中，并根据其与O ₂等配体的结合能力而发挥不同的功能。和一氧化氮（NO）并催化反应，以清除NO或通过还原亚硝酸盐生成NO。NO是高度可扩散的分子，在信号传递中起着核心作用，对于卵的成熟，受精和早期胚胎发育很重要。球蛋白清除或产生NO的能力使这些蛋白质成为调节NO稳态的理想候选者，具体取决于微观环境和组织对NO的需求。在斑马鱼的卵和发育中的胚胎中发现了不同数量的各种球蛋白，它们不太可能起呼吸蛋白的作用，反而可能在维持胚胎NO稳态中发挥作用。