Question

The heme within macrophages that have consumed RBCs is further broken down into iron and protoporphyrin. What is the process by which heme is broken down?

1) Oxidation
2) Reduction
3) Hydrolysis
4) Decarboxylation

Answer 1

The process by which heme is broken down in macrophages is oxidation. The globin portion of hemoglobin is broken down into amino acids, while the iron and non-iron portions of heme are processed differently.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process by which heme is broken down in macrophages that have consumed RBCs is called oxidation.

Globin, the protein portion of hemoglobin, is broken down into amino acids, which can be sent back to the bone marrow for the production of new erythrocytes. The iron contained in the heme portion of hemoglobin may be stored in the liver or spleen, while the non-iron portion of heme is degraded into the waste product biliverdin and then bilirubin, which is used by the liver in the manufacture of bile.