Heme
24” x 24”
Acrylic on canvas.
2009
$1000
Heme is the constituent of hemoglobin which is most directly involved in the transport of oxygen through the bloodstream. Heme consists of a modified porphyrin ring coordinating a large central iron atom, which binds to oxygen molecules in the lungs, and releases them in the tissues. This process is controlled by the hemoglobin protein, which also binds to the iron atom, and flexes as the pH and CO2 levels change. As the protein flexes, the affinity of oxygen for heme changes.
Heme is also responsible for the lurid color of blood, and to a lesser extent, the color of red meat. Heme coordinated with carbon monoxide is even more vividly red — meat is gassed with CO to brighten its color, and victims of carbon monoxide poisoning often appear eerily pink. Similarly, poisoning by some drugs, or a genetic abnormality can result in methemogloginemia, a condition in which the iron in heme is oxidized to a +3 oxidation state, turning it bluish-brown, rather than red. Sufferers of methemoglobinemia have bluish skin.
The form of heme depicted here is heme B, the most common form in humans.
These molecules are rendered as space-filling models, in a natural, low-energy conformation, and displayed from an angle that shows off as much of their structure as possible. The atoms are color-coded, with carbon being black, hydrogen white, oxygen red, nitrogen blue, and iron rusty orange. They are painted in artist-quality acrylics, on gessoed canvas
8 comments en “Heme”
March 17th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you'll find many many more, such as capsaicin, serotonin, [...]
March 17th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you'll find many many more, such as capsaicin, serotonin, [...]
March 17th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you'll find many many more, such as capsaicin, serotonin, [...]
March 17th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you'll find many many more, such as capsaicin, serotonin, [...]
March 17th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you’ll find many many more, such as capsaicin, [...]
March 21st, 2010 at 7:15 pm
[...] Kobulnicky has been painting molecules since 2007. Pictured above are heme and chlorophyll, but over at his site you’ll find many many more, such as capsaicin, [...]
June 5th, 2010 at 6:47 am
Hi
can you tell me what cause low iron
June 5th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Hi
low iron cause by blood loss (acute chronic) low dietary iron intake GI malabsoption or chemicals interfere iron uptake e.g oxalate.
Iron deficiency not genetic!
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