myoglobin

Thân thiện

A scientist examines a myoglobin model in a biology lab.

Definition

Noun: A hemoprotein, primarily found in muscle tissue, that receives oxygen from hemoglobin in the blood and stores it within the muscle cells until it is needed for metabolic processes.

Usage

Myoglobin is a scientific term used in biology, biochemistry, and medicine. It refers specifically to the oxygen-binding protein in muscle. - It is often discussed in the context of muscle physiology, oxygen transport, and certain medical conditions. - High levels of myoglobin in the blood can indicate muscle damage.

Examples

• In a scientific context:
  • Myoglobin gives skeletal muscle its characteristic red color.
  • During a heart attack, damaged heart muscle cells release myoglobin into the bloodstream.
• In a general explanation:
  • Whales have very high concentrations of myoglobin in their muscles, allowing them to store oxygen for long dives.

Advanced Usage

• "Myoglobinuria": The presence of myoglobin in the urine, which is a clinical sign of severe muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis).
  • The doctor tested for myoglobinuria after the patient presented with severe muscle pain.

Variants and Related Words

• Myoglobinic (adj): Pertaining to or containing myoglobin.
  • The researcher studied the myoglobinic content in different muscle types.

Synonyms

• Muscle hemoglobin: A direct descriptive synonym, though "myoglobin" is the standard technical term.

Different Meanings

The word myoglobin has only one specific meaning in modern English usage, relating to the biological protein. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a hemoprotein that receives oxygen from hemoglobin and stores it in the tissues until needed