oxygen-sensing mechanism
Quick Summary
In biology, the oxygen-sensing mechanism refers to how cells detect and respond to changes in oxygen levels. This is crucial because cells, especially in the brain, require a constant supply of oxygen to function. When oxygen is insufficient, a condition known as hypoxia, cells can adapt by increasing levels of a molecule called hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). This adaptation helps cells survive in low-oxygen environments. The discovery of this mechanism led to the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.1
The body also regulates breathing through chemoreceptors, which monitor oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood and brain. These sensors signal the brain to adjust breathing rate and depth, ensuring adequate oxygen supply and removal of carbon dioxide.23
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- William G. Kaelin, Jr.
His discoveries concerning cellular oxygen-sensing mechanisms earned him a share of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (shared with British physician and scientist Peter J. Ratcliffe and American physician and scientist Gregg L. Semenza).
Read MoreHis discoveries concerning cellular oxygen-sensing mechanisms earned him a share of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (shared with British physician and scientist Peter J. Ratcliffe and American physician and scientist Gregg L. Semenza).
Read More - Peter J. Ratcliffe
His discoveries pertaining to cellular oxygen-sensing mechanisms earned him a share of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (shared with American scientists William G. Kaelin, Jr., and Gregg L. Semenza).
Read MoreHis discoveries pertaining to cellular oxygen-sensing mechanisms earned him a share of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (shared with American scientists William G. Kaelin, Jr., and Gregg L. Semenza).
Read More