protoporphyrin
/ˌproʊtəˈpɔːrfərɪn/
noun
- A type of organic compound that is a building block of heme, the part of hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood.
- Doctors measure protoporphyrin levels to check for certain blood disorders.
- Plants also use protoporphyrin to make chlorophyll, the molecule that captures sunlight.
- Protoporphyrin combines with iron to form heme, which is essential for red blood cells.