Biochemistry
Hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide back. What makes blood red.
Biological Context
Each hemoglobin molecule carries up to four oxygen molecules. Hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen changes with pH, temperature, and CO2 levels, enabling efficient oxygen delivery where needed. Anemia involves insufficient hemoglobin. Carbon monoxide poisoning works by blocking hemoglobin's oxygen-binding sites.
Business Application
Organizational hemoglobin: the systems that carry vital resources from where they're abundant to where they're needed. Cash flow systems, supply chains, and information networks all perform hemoglobin-like functions.