heme

heme  (hm)

n.

The deep red, nonprotein, ferrous component of hemoglobin, C₃₄H₃₂FeN₄O₄.

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[Short for hematin.]

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heme  (hm)

The deep red, nonprotein, iron-containing component of hemoglobin that carries oxygen. Heme is a porphyrin with an iron atom at its center. One of the free valence electrons of the iron atom of heme is bound to the hemoglobin molecule, while the other is available for binding to an oxygen atom. A hemoglobin molecule contains four hemes. Chemical formula: C₃₄H₃₂FeN₄O₄.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

heme - a complex red organic pigment containing iron and other atoms to which oxygen binds haem, haemitin, hematin, protoheme pigment - dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.) haemoglobin, Hb, hemoglobin - a hemoprotein composed of globin and heme that gives red blood cells their characteristic color; function primarily to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues; "fish have simpler hemoglobin than mammals" myoglobin - a hemoprotein that receives oxygen from hemoglobin and stores it in the tissues until needed cytochrome - (biochemistry) a class of hemoprotein whose principal biological function is electron transfer (especially in cellular respiration)