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Fetal hemoglobin
Oxygen carrier protein in the human fetus / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fetal hemoglobin, or foetal haemoglobin (also hemoglobin F, HbF, or α2γ2) is the main oxygen carrier protein in the human fetus. Hemoglobin F is found in fetal red blood cells, and is involved in transporting oxygen from the mother's bloodstream to organs and tissues in the fetus. It is produced at around 6 weeks of pregnancy [1] and the levels remain high after birth until the baby is roughly 2–4 months old.[2] Hemoglobin F has a different composition than adult forms of hemoglobin, allowing it to bind (or attach to) oxygen more strongly; this in turn enables the developing fetus to retrieve oxygen from the mother's bloodstream, which occurs through the placenta found in the mother's uterus.[3]
Fetal hemoglobin | ||||||||||||||||
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(4 subunits, α2γ2) | ||||||||||||||||
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Protein type | metalloprotein, globulin | |||||||||||||||
Function | oxygen-transport | |||||||||||||||
Cofactor(s) | heme (4) | |||||||||||||||
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In the newborn, levels of hemoglobin F gradually decrease and reach adult levels (less than 1% of total hemoglobin) usually within the first year, as adult forms of hemoglobin begin to be produced.[4] Diseases such as beta thalassemias, which affect components of the adult hemoglobin, can delay this process, and cause hemoglobin F levels to be higher than normal.[5] In sickle cell anemia, increasing the production of hemoglobin F has been used as a treatment to relieve some of the symptoms.[6]