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Jaundice, or icterus, is the yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, and mucous membranes. It happens when plasma bilirubin levels rise above 2.5-3 mg/dL, leading to bilirubin deposition in tissue.Bilirubin is a byproduct of hemoglobin degradation. In macrophages, hemoglobin breaks down into globin and heme. Globin is converted into amino acids, while heme is turned into biliverdin by heme oxygenase, which is then reduced to unconjugated bilirubin by biliverdin reductase.Unconjugated...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Vitamin A Metabolites in Murine Ocular and Non-Ocular Tissues Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
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Bilirubin present in diverse angiosperms.

Cary Pirone1, Jodie V Johnson, J Martin E Quirke

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences , Florida International University , 11200 SW 8 St., OE-167, Miami, FL 33199 , USA.

Aob PLANTS
|April 6, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Bilirubin, a pigment previously unknown in higher plants, was found in eight diverse angiosperm species. While it primarily functions as a pigment in Strelitziaceae, its widespread presence suggests broader roles in plant metabolism and evolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant biochemistry
  • Phytochemistry
  • Evolutionary biology

Background:

  • Bilirubin, an orange-yellow tetrapyrrole derived from heme breakdown, is common in vertebrates.
  • Plants, algae, and cyanobacteria produce related molecules like bilins for light harvesting and sensing.
  • Bilirubin was recently discovered as a primary pigment in the arils of *Strelitzia nicolai* and *Strelitzia reginae*, a novel finding for higher plants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distribution of bilirubin across diverse angiosperm lineages.
  • To determine if bilirubin contributes to pigment production in other plant species beyond *Strelitzia*.

Main Methods:

  • High-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC/UV) was employed.
  • High-performance liquid chromatography with UV and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/UV/ESI-MS/MS) was used for confirmation.
  • These methods were applied to analyze 10 plant species from various angiosperm groups.

Main Results:

  • Bilirubin was detected in eight out of the ten species studied.
  • The identified species belonged to the orders Zingiberales, Arecales, and Myrtales.
  • Bilirubin functioned as a pigment only in species within the Strelitziaceae family.

Conclusions:

  • The broad distribution of bilirubin in angiosperms necessitates a re-evaluation of its metabolic pathways and evolutionary history in plants.
  • While its role in color production appears limited to the Strelitziaceae based on this study, further research may reveal other functions.
  • Future investigations should focus on the evolutionary significance and diverse roles of bilirubin in the plant kingdom.