What is a hemoglobin and where is it found?

What is a hemoglobin and where is it found?

About 70 percent of your body’s iron is found in the red blood cells of your blood called hemoglobin and in muscle cells called myoglobin. Hemoglobin is essential for transferring oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues.

What is formed by hemoglobin?

For hemoglobin to combine with oxygen, its iron atoms must be in the ferrous state. Should oxidation (or de-electronation) of the hemoglobin molecule occur, the ferrous iron is converted to ferric iron and methemoglobin is formed. Methemoglobin is valueless as a respiratory pigment.

What is hemoglobin short answer?

Hemoglobin: The oxygen-carrying pigment and predominant protein in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin forms an unstable, reversible bond with oxygen. In its oxygenated state it is called oxyhemoglobin and is bright red. In the reduced state it is called deoxyhemoglobin and is purple-blue.

How is hemoglobin formed in the human body?

Hemoglobin is formed by the combination of heme with globin (protein). Globin is made up of four polypeptide chains (an oligomeric protein). Two of these polypeptides are known as alpha (α) and the other two are known as beta (β).

What is the structure of hemoglobin in red blood cells?

Structure. Hemoglobin is protein in red blood cells that is made up of four chains. Each of these chains contains a compound known as heme, which in turn contains iron, which is what transports oxygen in the bloodstream. Hemoglobin is responsible for the shape of RBCs, which usually appear like donuts but with a thin center rather than a hole.

How is hemoglobin used in the peripheral tissues?

It picks up oxygen in the lungs and delivers it to the peripheral tissues to maintain the viability of cells. Hemoglobin is made from two similar proteins that “stick together”. Both proteins must be present for the hemoglobin to pick up and release oxygen normally. One of the component proteins is called alpha, the other is beta.

What happens when hemoglobin comes in contact with oxygen?

This is due to the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen. When hemoglobin comes in contact with oxygen, it combines with it and form oxy-hemoglobin. This is a week bond. When blood reaches to tissues, where oxygen is deficient, the bond is broken and oxygen diffuses out to tissues.