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Review
. 2025 Aug 5;26(15):7551.
doi: 10.3390/ijms26157551.

Developments in the Study of Inert Gas Biological Effects and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

Mei-Ning Tong  1 , Xia Li  1 , Jie Cheng  1 , Zheng-Lin Jiang  1
Affiliations
Review

Developments in the Study of Inert Gas Biological Effects and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

Mei-Ning Tong et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

It has long been accepted that breathing gases that are physiologically inert include helium (He), neon (Ne), nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and hydrogen (H2). The term "inert gas" has been used to describe them due to their unusually high chemical stability. However, as investigations have advanced, many have shown that inert gas can have specific biological impacts when exposed to high pressure or atmospheric pressure. Additionally, different inert gases have different effects on intracellular signal transduction, ion channels, and cell membrane receptors, which are linked to their anesthetic and cell protection effects in normal or pathological processes. Through a selective analysis of the representative literature, this study offers a concise overview of the state of research on the biological impacts of inert gas and their molecular mechanisms.

Keywords: biological effect; inert gas; molecular mechanism; research progress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanism of biological effects of inert gases.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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