[Behavior of fetal hemoglobin during isoelectric focusing]

The results of isoelectrofusing applied to haemolysates of newborns, a case of beta thalassaemia and a case of hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin show that fetal haemoglobin F(alpha 2 gamma 2) can be oxidized into two products. The first corresponds to fetal ferrihaemoglobin (alpha +2 gamma +2), the oxidation product of the four Fe atoms of the molecule. The second, which is called fetal intermedial methaemoglobin, and has the same pH as adult ferrihaemoglobin A1, represents probably a product of partial oxydation of fetal haemoglobin.