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Hematoidin
A type yellow-brown or orange-red pigment that is free from iron and made from hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a substance present in red blood cells
that help carry oxygen to cells in the body. Red blood cells are cells that help carry oxygen in the blood. Hematoidin is especially likely to be formed in the cells of tissues have reduced or low levels of oxygen pressure.
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Hematoidin closely resembles bilirubin, but is made in a different location (see next paragraph). Bilirubin is a yellow-orange substance found in bile. Bile is a bitter, yellow-green substance released from the liver that carries away waste products. The liver is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for filtering (removing) harmful chemical substances, producing important chemicals for the body, and other important functions.
Hematoidin is formed inside of cells, likely reticuloendothelial cells. Reticuloendothelial cells are cells within the reticuloendothelial system, which is a collection of macrophages. Macrophages are types of cells that ingest bacteria, foreign particles, and other cells. Although hematoidin is made inside of these cells, they are also found outside of cells after 5 to 7 days in the location of heavy uncontrollable bleeding. |
Too much hematoidin in the blood produces the yellow appearance observed in jaundice. Jaundice is a yellow staining of the skin, whites of the eyes, deeper tissues, mucous membranes, and waste that is discharged from the body. A mucous membrane is one of four major types of thin sheets of tissue that line or cover various parts of the body, such as the mouth and passages for breathing.
Hematoidin is a tiny, freely moving substance and is capable of bending light. When looked at under a microscope, it generally appears as a crystal or diamond-shaped plate and is sometimes arranged in a radiating pattern. Sometimes, however, hematoidin does not have a well-defined shape. A picture of hematoidin from a microscope is shown below.
When hematoidin is present in the corpus luteum, it is known as haemolutein. The corpus luteum is a sphere-shaped yellowish structure on the surface of the ovary. Ovaries are organs in the female body that normally produce eggs. Hematoidin is also known as haematoidin, blood crystals, and hematoidin crystals. Hematoidin comes from the Greek word “haima” meaning “blood,” and the Greek word “eidos” meaning “resemblance.” Put the words together and you have “blood resemblance.”
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