Hemin

/ˈhɛmɪn/ noun

Definition

A dark reddish-brown crystalline compound derived from hemoglobin, used in chemistry and medicine to study blood and treat certain conditions.

Etymology

From 'heme' (the iron-containing part of hemoglobin) plus the chemical suffix '-in'. It was first isolated in the late 1800s as scientists began breaking down blood molecules to understand their structure.

Kelly Says

Hemin is like a chemical detective tool—when scientists heat hemoglobin with acids, hemin crystals form, and these crystals helped researchers finally understand how blood carries oxygen throughout your body.

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