Generality
Haptoglobin is a transport glycoprotein, whose function is to irreversibly bind free hemoglobin molecules that circulate in the blood. This allows the formation of a haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex, which is rapidly removed from the blood stream and sent to the liver for iron recovery.
Under normal conditions, the concentration of haptoglobin is in equilibrium between hepatic synthesis and its elimination.
The haptoglobin test measures the amount in the blood. This evaluation is mainly used to diagnose "haemolytic anemia. When a large number of red blood cells undergo destruction, in fact, the concentration of haptoglobin in the blood decreases temporarily, since the consumption of the protein is higher than the production rate of the same. by the liver.
