血紅素加氧酶是血紅素分解代謝中的一種重要酶，它將血紅素分解成膽綠素，膽綠素還原酶和一氧化碳（一種公認的神經遞質）隨后將膽綠素轉化為膽紅素。血紅素加氧酶活性是由底物血紅素和各種非血紅素物質誘導的。血紅素加氧酶以2種同工酶、一種誘導性血紅素加氧酶-1和一種組成性血紅素加氧酶-2的形式存在。hmox1和hmox2屬于血紅素加氧酶家族。
Heme oxygenase, an essential enzyme in heme catabolism, cleaves heme to form biliverdin, which is subsequently converted to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase, and carbon monoxide, a putative neurotransmitter. Heme oxygenase activity is induced by its substrate heme and by various nonheme substances. Heme oxygenase occurs as 2 isozymes, an inducible heme oxygenase-1 and a constitutive heme oxygenase-2. HMOX1 and HMOX2 belong to the heme oxygenase family.