What is hemoglobin F composed of?

Hemoglobin F, also known as fetal hemoglobin, is composed of two alpha chains and two gamma chains. This composition is significant because it allows fetal hemoglobin to have a higher affinity for oxygen compared to adult hemoglobin, facilitating the transfer of oxygen from the mother to the fetus across the placental barrier.

The structure of hemoglobin F differs from that of adult hemoglobin, which consists of two alpha chains and two beta chains. This difference in chain composition is crucial in understanding the physiological roles of the different types of hemoglobin throughout human development. In adulthood, most hemoglobin is hemoglobin A, but during fetal development, hemoglobin F predominates until after birth, when the production of the beta chains increases and hemoglobin A becomes more prevalent.

Understanding the specific structure of hemoglobin F aids in comprehending various clinical conditions, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemias, where types of hemoglobin and their chain compositions play pivotal roles in disease manifestation and treatment response.