Nature has endowed gaseous molecules such as O₂, CO₂, CO, NO, H₂S, and N₂ with critical and diverse roles in sustaining life, from supplying energy needed to power life and building blocks for life's physical structure to mediating and coordinating cellular functions. In this article, we give a brief introduction of the complex functions of the various gaseous molecules in life and then focus on carbon monoxide as a specific example of an endogenously produced signaling molecule to highlight the importance of this class of molecules. The past twenty years have seen much progress in understanding CO's mechanism(s) of action and pharmacological effects as well as in developing delivery methods for easy administration. One remarkable trait of CO is its pleiotropic effects that have few parallels, except perhaps its sister gaseous signaling molecules such as nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide. This review will delve into the sophistication of CO-mediated signaling as well as its validated pharmacological functions and possible therapeutic applications.

大自然赋予 O ₂、CO ₂、CO、NO、H ₂ S 和 N ₂等气态分子在维持生命方面发挥着关键而多样的作用，从提供生命所需的能量、构建生命的物理结构到调解和维持生命。协调细胞功能。在本文中，我们简要介绍了生命中各种气体分子的复杂功能，然后重点关注一氧化碳作为内源性产生的信号分子的具体例子，以强调此类分子的重要性。过去二十年来，我们在了解 CO 的作用机制和药理作用以及开发易于给药的递送方法方面取得了很大进展。CO 的一个显着特征是其多效性效应，除了它的姊妹气体信号分子（例如一氧化氮和硫化氢）之外，几乎没有可比性。本综述将深入探讨 CO 介导的信号传导的复杂性及其经过验证的药理功能和可能的治疗应用。