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hemoglobin A
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hemoglobin A

biochemistry
Also known as: Hb A
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Hemoglobin A (HbA) is the primary form of hemoglobin found in adult humans. Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein within red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues. Each hemoglobin molecule consists of four heme groups, each containing an iron atom that binds oxygen, surrounding a globin protein component.12

In adults, hemoglobin A is composed of two alpha and two beta polypeptide chains. This differs from fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which has gamma chains instead of beta chains. Variations in the amino acid sequence of these chains can lead to different types of hemoglobin, such as HbS found in sickle cell anemia. HbA1c is a form of hemoglobin A where glucose has bonded to it, and its measurement is used to assess average blood sugar levels over two to three months.324

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5 Britannica Sources
  1. hemoglobin A
  2. protein - Hemoglobin
  3. hemoglobin
  4. blood disease - Thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies
  5. hemoglobin A1c

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