Heme is an organic molecule that can host an iron ion and carry oxygen or electrons. Learn about its structure, types, functions and examples in this article.

Heme is a porphyrin ring complexed with ferrous iron and protoporphyrin IX. Heme is an essential prosthetic group in proteins that is necessary as a subcellular compartment to perform diverse biological functions like hemoglobin and myoglobin. [1]

Hemoglobin (haemoglobin, [ a ]Hb or Hgb) is a protein containing iron that facilitates the transport of oxygen in red blood cells. Almost all vertebrates contain hemoglobin, [ 3 ] with the sole exception of the fish family Channichthyidae. [ 4 ]

Heme (iron protoporphyrin IX) is an essential molecule for numerous living organisms. Not only does it serve as a prosthetic group in enzymes, it also acts as a signaling molecule that...

Heme is an iron-containing tetrapyrrole essential for diverse biological functions including gas transport and sensing, oxidative metabolism, and xenobiotic detoxification. Like iron, heme is essential yet toxic in excess. As such, both iron and heme homeostasis are tightly regulated.

This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on the health benefits and risks of heme as an essential nutrient. Heme constitutes 95% of the functional iron in the human body and accounts for two-thirds of iron intake for people in Western countries.

Hemoglobin, iron-containing protein in the blood of many animals that transports oxygen to the tissues. Hemoglobin forms an unstable reversible bond with oxygen. In the oxygenated state, it is called oxyhemoglobin and is bright red; in the reduced state, it is purplish blue.

Heme is an essential molecule for living aerobic organisms and is involved in a remarkable array of diverse biological processes. In the cardiovascular system, heme plays a major role in gas exchange, mitochondrial energy production, antioxidant defense, and signal transduction.

Learn about the two forms of iron in food: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in animal flesh and is better absorbed than non-heme iron from plant foods.