Hemoglobin and iron metabolism Flashcards
 What is the Relationship between hemoglobin and heme? 
Hemoglobin contains heme
Is a conjugated globular proteins which constitutes 33% of RBC weight by volume
Hemoglobin
What is the weight percentage of hemoglobin in RBCs?
33%
_____% of hemoglobin synthesis occurs during nucleated stages of maturation
____% occurs during the reticulocyte stage
66
33
One hemoglobin molecule contains….
-two pairs of two different polypeptide chains (dimers) ie: 4 globin chains arranged as a tetramer
-Four molecules of protoporphyrin IX
-For iron atoms (Fe2+) that combine with protoporphyrin IX to form 4 heme rings
-one 2,3-BPG molecule (from RLP pathway) may or may not occupy the center of the entire hemoglobin molecule
what does 2,3-BPG help with?
Oxygen offloading
Normal hemoglobin production is dependent upon what three processes?
• adequate iron delivery and supply
• Adequate synthesis of protoporphyrins
• Adequate globin (to hold iron and heme) synthesis
Apo….
Vacant of iron
Fe has extremely ____ Bioavailability in food.
Low
*10-20 mg of iron/day, only 1-2 mg is absorbed
How does the body compensate for low bioavailability of iron? 
Recycles iron from degraded RBCs (Which has been stored in splenic macrophages) 
-no mechanism for excretion
about _____ of iron is in storage form - ferritin or hemosiderin in macrophages (very small amount in transferrin (Plasma carrier protein))
1/4
Where is iron stored? 
In macrophages in the spleen
Is ferritin or hemosiderin easier to use? 
Ferritin
Ferritin is made of a cylindrical protein called ______________, Plus the many iron atoms stuffed into it
Apoferritin
Apoferritin + Fe =
Ferritin
What is Apoferritin?
Ferritin without iron
When Fe is needed, _____ is released from ferritin and guts mucosal cells, this Fe Attaches to a special Fe transport proteins called transferrin.
Fe3+ (needs to be in this form)
Fe transport Protein
Transferrin 
Transparent can transport up to _____ Fe3+ Simultaneously through the plasma; It delivers Fe3+ into RBCs 
2 atoms
-transferrin is returned to cell surface for recycling
-Fe3+ is reduced to ferrous (Fe2+) in cytoplasm of RBC
A plasma proteins that transports ferric iron (Fe3+) to the developing RBCs
Transferrin
Iron (ferrochelatase) is actively carried across the RBC membrane to the mitochondria, where it is matched with _______________ to make heme. 
Protoporphyrin IX
He leaves the mitochondria and travels to the cytosol (Cytoplasm) To join the globin chains 
Protoporphyrin synthesis:
Begins with _______________
-By-product of the tricarboxylic acid cycle
succinyl coenzyme-A (COA)
Protoporphyrin synthesis:
CoA combines with glycine to form ______________
Where does it occur?
aminolevulinic acid
(ALA)
Mitochondria of pronormoblast and requires B6
Protoporphyrin synthesis:
ALA and ALA dehydrates combine to form __________.
Prophobilinogen (PBG)