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ProteinQ409414· pop 13· linked from 148 articles

Also known as HPX, epididymis secretory sperm binding protein, beta-1B-glycoprotein

Hemopexin (or haemopexin; Hpx; Hx), also known as beta-1B-glycoprotein, is a glycoprotein that in humans is encoded by the HPX gene and belongs to the hemopexin family of proteins. Hemopexin is the plasma protein with the highest binding affinity for heme.

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10 sections
Contents
  • Cloning, expression, and discovery
  • Mapping of hemopexin gene
  • Differential transcriptional pattern of hemopexin gene
  • Function
  • Clinical significance
  • Relation to haptoglobin
  • See also
  • References
  • Further reading
  • External links

Hemopexin (or haemopexin; Hpx; Hx), also known as beta-1B-glycoprotein, is a glycoprotein that in humans is encoded by the HPX gene and belongs to the hemopexin family of proteins. Hemopexin is the plasma protein with the highest binding affinity for heme.

Hemoglobin itself circulating alone in the blood plasma (called free hemoglobin, as opposed to the hemoglobin situated in and circulating with the red blood cell.) will soon be oxidized into met-hemoglobin which then further disassociates into free heme along with globin chain. The free heme will then be oxidized into free met-heme and sooner or later the hemopexin will come to bind free met-heme together, forming a complex of met-heme and hemopexin, continuing their journey in the circulation until reaching a receptor, such as LRP1, on hepatocytes or macrophages within the spleen, liver and bone marrow.

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