haptoglobin
The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.
DEFINITION:
- haptoglobin
-
A 100,000-dalton plasma glycoprotein with alpha electrophoretic mobility that irreversibly binds free hemoglobin resulting in prompt removal of the hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex by the liver, preventing loss of free hemoglobin in the urine. Haptoglobin levels are decreased by hemolysis and increased owing to increased synthesis in conditions resulting in extensive tissue damage and necrosis. Haptoglobin has two major genetic variants, designated Hp 1 and Hp 2.
Used in 5 Term definitions
Used in 5 Term definitions