thalassemia
An inherited form of anemia occurring chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent, caused by faulty synthesis of part of the hemoglobin molecule.
Hemoglobin is the iron-containing respiratory pigment in red blood cells which carries oxygen. It consists of about 6 percent heme and 94 percent globin.
Heme is the color part of the hemoglobin which is non-protein and contains iron.
Globin is the protein part of hemoglobin and myoglobin.
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Last update: Feb 23, 2009; 5:26 p.m. LAH