Haem

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːm

Alternative forms

• heme (US)

Full definition of haem

Noun

1. The component of haemoglobin responsible for binding oxygen, consists of an iron ion that binds oxygen and a porphyrin ring that binds the globin molecules; one molecule binds one molecule of oxygen.
• 2010, Pierre Cornelis and Simon Andrews (editors), Iron Uptake and Homeostasis in Microorganisms, page 17:Haem is ubiquitous, abundant and necessary for energy metabolism. Most bacteria have a haem biosynthesis pathway, but nevertheless, since haem is a major source of iron (an essential metal), microbes take up exogenous haem to retrieve iron.

Anagrams

• ahem
• hame