Deoxygenated Hemoglobin

Definition: Deoxygenated hemoglobin is a form of the hemoglobin molecule that has released its bound oxygen molecule(s) and is therefore carrying no oxygen. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body’s tissues. When oxygen binds to hemoglobin, it changes the conformation of the protein, making it more compact and changing its color from blue to red, which is why oxygenated blood appears bright red. Conversely, when the oxygen molecules detach from hemoglobin, the protein’s conformation changes back to its original state, making it more open and revealing a bluish-purple hue, which is why deoxygenated blood appears dark red. Measuring the amount of deoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood can provide information about oxygen delivery and utilization in different organs and tissues, which can be useful in various clinical and experimental settings.

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References: National Cancer Institute. National Cancer Institute Thesaurus, 2017. Documentation page available on http://nciterms.nci.nih.gov.

https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-319-55231-6_19

https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1997.0048

Related terms: Oxygenated Hemoglobin, Total Hemoglobin