ON HEMOCHROMOGEN

1. Every hemochromogen consists of the iron pyrrol complex, reduced heme, combined with some nitrogenous substance. 2. In every hemochromogen there is the equilibrium: Hemochromogen ⇄ Reduced heme + Nitrogenous substance. 3. Cyanide can form two distinct compounds with reduced heme, one of which is the typical hemochromogen, cyan-hemochromogen. 4. Reduced heme in alkaline solution has a great affinity for cyanide. 5. Cyan-hemochromogen probably contains one cyanide group per heme. 6. The hemochromogen prepared from hemoglobin is a compound of denatured globin and reduced heme. 7. The individual molecule of denatured globin, of hypothetical molecular weight 16,700, can convert at least 10 molecules of reduced heme into hemochromogen. 8. The hemochromogen-forming capacity of globin is, under given conditions, greater than that of edestin, which in turn, is greater than that of zein.