Know the structure and functions of hemoglobin and the three determinants for how much oxygen is bound
Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein present in red blood cells of vertebrates. It helps in transporting oxygen to tissues. It develops in the bone marrow that later forms red blood cells.
Structure of hemoglobin:
The structure of hemoglobin is made of four heme groups surrounding the globin group forming a tetrahedral structure. Heme is composed of ring-like organic compound porphyrin to which an iron atom is attached. It is the iron atom that binds oxygen as the blood travels between the lungs and the tissues.
There are four iron atoms in each molecule of hemoglobin, which accordingly can bind four atoms of oxygen. Globin consists of two linked pairs of polypeptide chains.
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