Haemoglobin

Haemoglobin:

• Haemoglobins are a group of chemically similar molecules found in many different organisms
• Haemoglobin is a protein with a quaternary level of structure
• It has four polypeptide chains associated together
• It is found in red blood cells (millions of haemoglobin molecules per cell)
• It is in the blood of mammals, birds and fish
• Haemoglobin has four haem groups, each has an iron ion in the centre
• One oxygen molecule can bind to one haem group so a total of four oxygen molecules can be carried by one haemoglobin
• When oxygen is bound to haemoglobin it is called oxyhaemoglobin

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