Gasocrine Hypothesis: A Fundamental Corollary to Cell Theory

Gases are central to metabolism and are also signaling molecules. Oxygen-sensing receptors (gasoreceptors) include oxygen-binding hemoproteins with diverse signaling domains (phosphodiesterase, guanylyl/adenylyl cyclase etc.). Some gasoreceptors may act as aquareceptors and the identity of vertebrate and plant oxygen gasoreceptors is still unknown. Whether vertebrate hemoglobin is an oxygen protogasoreceptor also warrants a debate and the signaling events mediated by gas-gasoreceptor and gas-riboceptors interactions are proposed as "gasocrine signaling". Based on thought experiments, the three gasocrine signaling postulates that supplements the cell theory are proposed. These postulates can be summarized as, "All cells require gasocrine signaling". The potential implications of the gasocrine hypothesis include, but are not limited to, quorum sensing, embryo development, disease mechanisms, and planetary gas and temperature homeostasis. Finally, the acceptance of gas-sensing protoreceptors will open up the field of gasocrinology.