Haemoglobin is made up of globular protein and an iron- rich compound known as haem. It is found in red blood cells and is involved in the transport of oxygen around the body. Red blood cells do not have a nucleus, increasing the amount of space for haemoglobin. There are approximately 300 million haemoglobin molecules in each red blood cells. The structure of haemoglobin enables it to carry oxygen with high efficiency. It has a quaternary structure made up of four globin subunits, most commonly two alpha and two beta units. In the middle of each globin subunit is a haem which is where oxygen binding takes place. Each haemoglobin molecule can, therefore bind with four molecules of oxygen, one for each haem group. Oxygen binds to haemoglobin
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A polymer is any atom that is built up of individual building blocks that are connected together. And the individual building blocks are called monomers. Monomers that makes protein is called amino acids. When this is linked together, it is called a polypeptide or protein. The amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds in a condensation reaction. The polypeptide chain that takes shape is the main social organization of the protein. The sequence of amino acids determines the shape of the protein. The chain folds up into a three- dimensional, that are held together by covalent bonding. The function of a protein depends on its three dimensional shape, therefore makes hemoglobin a protein.
Haemoglobin also plays a role in maintaining the shape of the red blood cells. In their normal shape, red blood cells are round with narrow centres similar to a doughnut without a pickle in the centre. The cells are cave in on both sides so each one has a thin centre and thicker edge. This shape allows the cells to be flexible so that they can move through large and small blood vessels to deliver oxygen. Cells in tissues need regular delivery of oxygen to function comfortably. Irregular haemoglobin structure can, however, disturb the shape of red blood cells and disrupt their function to flow through blood
A polymer is any atom that is built up of individual building blocks that are connected together. And the individual building blocks are called monomers. Monomers that makes protein is called amino acids. When this is linked together, it is called a polypeptide or protein. The amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds in a condensation reaction. The polypeptide chain that takes shape is the main social organization of the protein. The sequence of amino acids determines the shape of the protein. The chain folds up into a three- dimensional, that are held together by covalent bonding. The function of a protein depends on its three dimensional shape, therefore makes hemoglobin a protein.
Haemoglobin also plays a role in maintaining the shape of the red blood cells. In their normal shape, red blood cells are round with narrow centres similar to a doughnut without a pickle in the centre. The cells are cave in on both sides so each one has a thin centre and thicker edge. This shape allows the cells to be flexible so that they can move through large and small blood vessels to deliver oxygen. Cells in tissues need regular delivery of oxygen to function comfortably. Irregular haemoglobin structure can, however, disturb the shape of red blood cells and disrupt their function to flow through blood