Pumping Iron: The Heavy Lifting Iron Does in Our Bodies

Our blood appears red for the same reason the planet Mars does: iron. The element may bring to mind cast-iron pans, wrought-iron fences, or ancient iron tools, but it’s also essential to life on Earth. All living organisms, from humans to bacteria, need iron. It’s crucial for many processes in the human body, including oxygen transport, muscle function, proper growth, cell health, and the production of several hormones. Iron is the reason both our blood and the planet Mars appear red. The element also makes up the majority of Earth’s core and generates the planet’s magnetic field. Credit: Compound Interest. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Click to enlarge Special Delivery: Oxygen Iron enables red blood cells to carry oxygen. About two-thirds of the iron in our bodies is found in a protein called hemoglobin, which is part of red blood cells. Each hemoglobin molecule contains four iron atoms. Oxygen molecules grab on to these atoms when red blood cells pass through the lungs and are later released as the cells move around the body. Other cells use oxygen molecules from red blood cells to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main source of energy for the body’s functions. Another iron-containing protein called myoglobin transports and stores oxygen throughout the body’s muscles. Each myoglobin molecule has just one iron atom, so it can’t hold as much oxygen as hemoglobin. But myoglobin provides enough oxygen to produce the energy active muscles nee...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Cellular Processes Proteins Source Type: blogs