Hemoglobin Molecular Structure
Hemoglobin molecules are
present at a high concentration in red blood cells.
Hemoglobin picks up oxygen in the lungs, and releases oxygen in body tissues where it is
needed for the burning of food
(aerobic respiration)
to make chemical energy, notably
ATP, required to sustain life.
Hemoglobin is a protein molecule that contains heme cofactors, which in turn contain iron.
Atomic structures of hemoglobins, displayed in this tutorial, have been determined by
X-ray crystallography.
To review how atoms, bonds, molecules, and protein backbones
are represented on a computer, please see
- Introduction to Molecular Visualization
before continuing below.
Check your understanding with the practice quiz and get immediate feedback.
For more information, see
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