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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells
Published on: July 9, 2015
Serum heme-albumin: an allosteric protein
1Department of Biology and Interdepartmental Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, Italy. ascenzi@uniroma3.it
Abstract:
Heme scavenging by plasma proteins, including serum albumin (SA), provides protection against free-heme oxidative damage, limits access by pathogens to the heme, and contributes to iron homeostasis by recycling the heme iron. In turn, serum heme-albumin (SA-heme) acquires heme-based ligand-binding and (pseudo-)enzymatic properties. Heme binding to SA and SA-heme reactivity are allosterically and competitively modulated by endogenous and exogenous third components, this being relevant in pharmacotherapy management.
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