Why fir flies produce flash of light?

 Why fir flies produce flash of light?

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

             The nitric oxide gas plays a critical role in firefly light flashing. Probably, when the firefly light is off, no nitric oxide is being produced so vessels providing oxygen are blocked. Nitric oxide is widely used in Viagra as it expands the blood vessels and increases the blood supply to the sex organ. Similarly it is used in heart attack as it widens the blood vessels and unblocks the constriction created by clot. Pomegranate is considered vital fruit for the patients and there is famous maxim in Urdu aik annar, so bemar (There is one pomegranate and the patients are hundred meaning the demand is too high and remedy is scarce.)

              The more proper reason of the flash of light of fire flies is:  When the firefly light is off, no nitric oxide is being produced. In this condition, oxygen entering the light organ is seized by the cell's energy-producing organelles “mitochondria” and thus oxygen is not available to light producing cells. In the presence of nitric oxide, which binds to the mitochondria, thus allows oxygen to flow into the light producing cells where it combines with the other chemicals needed to produce the bioluminescent reaction.  Nitric oxide breaks down quickly and till the new nitric oxide is produced, the oxygen molecules are again trapped by the mitochondria and are not available for the production of light. This supply and stoppage of nitric oxide is responsible for the flashing of fire flies light.