Description:
Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells.
It carries oxygen away from the lungs and carbon dioxide back to the lungs. A molecule
of human hemoglobin (Hb) consists of 2 pairs of peptide (alpha and beta globin) chains
and four heme groups, each with one atom of iron. At a normal oxygen tension of 100
mm Hg in the blood vessels of the lungs, 95-98% of the human hemoglobin is combined
with oxygen. In the tissues further from the lungs, where the oxygen tension is much
lower, the oxygen readily separates from human hemoglobin. The normal range of
hemoglobin is approximately 14 to 17 grams per deciliter for men and 12 to 16 grams per
deciliter for women. A low hemoglobin count indicates a low red blood cell count
(anemia).
