Porphyrin vs. Heme

Porphyrinnoun

(organic compound) Any of a class of heterocyclic compounds containing pyrrole rings arranged in a square or other similar shape; they are important in biochemistry in a form with a metal atom in the central cavity (hemoglobin with iron, chlorophyll with magnesium, etc.).

Porphyrinnoun

any of various pigments distributed widely in living tissues

Porphyrin

Porphyrins ( POR-fər-in) are a group of heterocyclic macrocycle organic compounds, composed of four modified pyrrole subunits interconnected at their α carbon atoms via methine bridges (=CH−). The parent of porphyrin is porphine, a rare chemical compound of exclusively theoretical interest.

Hemenoun

(biochemistry) The component of hemoglobin (and other hemoproteins) responsible for binding oxygen. It consists of an iron ion that binds oxygen and a porphyrin ring that binds the globin molecules; one molecule binds one molecule of oxygen.

Hemenoun

a complex red organic pigment containing iron and other atoms to which oxygen binds

Heme

Heme, or haem (spelling differences) is a substance precursive to hemoglobin, which is necessary to bind oxygen in the bloodstream. Heme is biosynthesized in both the bone marrow and the liver.In microbiological terms, heme is coordination complex The definition is loose, and many depictions omit the axial ligands.