Heme oxygenase cleaves the heme ring at the alpha methene bridge to form biliverdin. Biliverdin is subsequently converted to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase. Under physiological conditions, the activity of heme oxygenase is highest in the spleen, where senescent erythrocytes are sequestrated and destroyed
Tissue Specificity
Expressed at higher levels in renal cancer tissue than in normal tissue (at protein level)
Cellular Localization
Microsome. Endoplasmic reticulum membrane; Peripheral membrane protein; Cytoplasmic side