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Updated: Jul 26, 2026

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
The role of free radical reactions with haemoglobin and thalassaemia
J Anastassopoulou1, B Anifantakis, Z A Anifantakis
1National Technical University of Athens, Chemical Engineering Department, Greece.
Abstract:
It is well known that all living systems depend on iron to transport (haemoglobin), store (myoglobin) and utilize (cytochromes, cytochrome oxide) oxygen for respiration. Iron is an essential component in the active sites of the enzyme that protects against oxidation, such as the iron superoxide dismutase, in bacteria and plants. In normal human plasma almost all iron loading of transferrin is 20-30% maximum. In this presentation we review and summarize recent developments in our understanding of iron transport and storage in living systems.
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