Heme oxygenase (HO-1 inducible; HO-2 constitutive)
Cofactors used
Clinical / pharmacological. Produces biliverdin, CO and Fe2+; rate-limiting for heme catabolism
What it does, reaction by reaction
Heme Degradation (Bilirubin Pathway) Amino Acid & Nitrogen Metabolism · Reticuloendothelial system, liver ER, gut
Heme + O₂ + NADPH + H⁺ → biliverdin IXα + Fe²⁺/³⁺ + CO + NADP⁺ + H₂O
Converts Heme O2 NADPH H+ into Biliverdin IX-alpha Fe2+/3+ CO NADP+ H2O
› Notes
Heme oxygenase (HO-1 inducible; HO-2 constitutive) cleaves the α-methene bridge of heme in macrophage endoplasmic reticulum. It requires molecular oxygen, NADPH, and electrons delivered by NADPH–cytochrome P450 reductase; this is the rate-limiting, committed, and irreversible step of heme catabolism, and it liberates iron for recycling plus carbon monoxide.
Showing all 1 reactions.
What accelerates and inhibits it
Regulation is pathway-specific, so each context is listed separately
No regulation recorded for this enzyme in the source documents.
Recent literature
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