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hemoglobin

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he⋅mo⋅glo⋅bin

[hee-muh-gloh-bin, hem-uh-]
–noun Biochemistry.
the oxygen-carrying pigment of red blood cells that gives them their red color and serves to convey oxygen to the tissues: occurs in reduced form (deoxyhemoglobin) in venous blood and in combination with oxygen (oxyhemoglobin) in arterial blood. Symbol: Hb
Compare heme.


Origin:
1865–70; earlier hematoglobulin. See hemo-, globulin


he⋅mo⋅glo⋅bic, he⋅mo⋅glo⋅bin⋅ous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To hemoglobin
he·mo·glo·bin   (hē'mə-glō'bĭn)   
n.   Abbr. Hb or hg or hgb.
The iron-containing respiratory pigment in red blood cells of vertebrates, consisting of about 6 percent heme and 94 percent globin.

[Ultimately short for hematinoglobulin : hematin + globulin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

hemoglobin [(hee-muh-gloh-bin)]

A complex organic molecule containing iron that carries oxygen in the blood.

Note: Hemoglobin gives blood its characteristic red color.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

hemoglobin 
1869, shortening of hæmatoglobin (1845), from Gk. haimato-, comb. form of haima (gen. haimatos) "blood" (see -emia) + globulin, a protein, from L. globulus "globule."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: he·mo·glo·bin
Variant: or chiefly British hae·mo·glo·bin /'hE-m&-"glO-b&n/
Function:noun
1 : an iron-containing respiratory pigment of vertebrate red blood cells that functions primarily in the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body,that consists of four polypeptide chains designated alpha, beta, gamma, and delta each of which is linked to a heme molecule, that combines loosely and reversibly with oxygen in the lungs or gills toform oxyhemoglobin and with carbon dioxide in the tissues to form carbhemoglobin, that in humans is present normally in blood to the extent of 14 to 16 grams in 100 milliliters expressed sometimes on ascale of 0 to 100 with an average normal value (as 15 grams) taken as 100, and that is determined in blood either colorimetrically or by quantitative estimation of the iron present —see FETAL HEMOGLOBIN; —compare CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN, METHEMOGLOBIN
2 : any of numerous iron-containing respiratorypigments of invertebrates and some plants (as yeasts) —he·mo·glo·bin·ic or chiefly British hae·mo·glo·bin·ic /"hE-m&-glO-'bin-ik/ adjectivehe·mo·glo·bi·nous or chiefly British hae·mo·glo·bi·nous /-'glO-b&-n&s/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

hemoglobin he·mo·glo·bin (hē'mə-glō'bĭn)
n.
Abbr. Hb
The red respiratory protein of red blood cells that transports oxygen as oxyhemoglobin from the lungs to the tissues, where the oxygen is readily released and the oxyhemoglobin becomes hemoglobin.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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