Hemoglobin the iron gets recycled. This process also produces one molecule of carbon monoxide for every molecule of heme degraded. Heme degradation is one of the few natural sources of carbon monoxide in the human body, and is responsible for the normal blood levels of carbon monoxide even in people breathing pure air. The other major final product of heme degradation is bilirubin. Increased levels of this chemical are detected in the blood if red blood cells are being destroyed more rapidly than usual. Improperly degraded hemoglobin protein or hemoglobin that has been released from the blood cells too rapidly can
Hemoglobin C cell crises. The peripheral smear demonstrates mostly target cells and only a few sickle cells. However, persons with hemoglobin SC disease (HbSC) have more significant retinopathy, ischemic necrosis of bone, and priapism than those with pure SS disease. People with hemoglobin C trait, or hemoglobin C carriers, have one gene for HbC and one normal gene. Their red blood cells contain both normal hemoglobin A and also hemoglobin C. People with hemoglobin C trait have slightly more hemoglobin A than hemoglobin C in their cells. Hemoglobin C disease is an autosomal recessive disorder that results from the biparental inheritance of