noun
- Plural of haem; the iron-containing component of hemoglobin that binds oxygen in red blood cells.
Usage: British spelling; American English uses 'hemes'; technical/medical term; used in biochemistry and medicine
Examples
- The haems in red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
- Hemoglobin contains four haems, each capable of binding one oxygen molecule.
- The structure of haems was first determined through X-ray crystallography.
- Different organisms have variations in the composition of their haems.
- The iron atoms in haems give blood its characteristic red color.