Biliverdin
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Image:Biliverdin.png The structure of Biliverdin |
Biliverdin is a green pigment formed as a byproduct of hemoglobin breakdown. It consists of four linearly connected pyrrole rings (a tetrapyrrole). Biliverdin is formed when the heme group in hemoglobin is cleaved at its α-methene bridge. The resulting water-soluble biliverdin is then reduced to the water-insoluble toxic bilirubin, a yellow pigment, by the enzyme biliverdin reductase. The changing color of a bruise from deep purple to yellow over time is a graphical indicator of this reaction.
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