Binds heme and transports it to the liver for breakdown and iron recovery, after which the free hemopexin returns to the circulation. Interacts with FLVCR1. (Microbial infection) Interacts with hepatitis E virus/HEV protein ORF3. Expressed by the liver and secreted in plasma. N- and O-glycosylated. O-glycosylated with core 1 or possibly core 8 glycans. O-glycosylation in the 30-40 region is minor compared to glycosylation at Thr-24 and Thr-29. The isolated N-terminal domain binds one heme. The full-length protein also binds one heme, but at a different site. The physiological significance of this is not clear (By similarity). Belongs to the hemopexin family.