A few of my favorite hemes.
by Mike Shaw

The “heme cofactor” is familiar to us as the part of hemoglobin where oxygen attaches for transport through blood. It lends blood its characteristic color. However, the heme unit is a versatile part of many biological functions. It participates in the metabolism of perceived toxins by the liver, in the production and sensing of the neurotransmitter NO, and as support for other enzyme systems by managing electron availability. In this talk, we will explore some of the basic structural features of heme and their consequences in biological systems.