Extravascular
Hemolysis
Macrophage phagocytizes old or damaged RBC’s
Fe++
transferrin
Storage
(hemosiderin)
Or
Bone marrow
(ferritin)
Globin chains
Broken down into individual amino acids which return to amino acid pool
Heme
Protophorphyrin ring split open in macrophage to form biliverdin
Bilirubin released to circulation