Transcription
Hi, welcome back. Now, haptoglobin. So we have been talking about anemia and hematology for a long time, in a long series. Now, haptoglobin. What is haptoglobin? It's a plasma protein. In brief, this is your red blood cell. Now, your red blood cell is getting destroyed, i.e., hemolysis. So hemoglobin will be released from this destroyed red blood cell. There's a plasma protein in the blood called haptoglobin. Haptoglobin will bind hemoglobin, forming a complex. Then, something needs will happen: the macrophages will come and phagocytose this complex. So now, haptoglobin is consumed. That's why, in hemolytic anemia, haptoglobin levels in the plasma are decreased because haptoglobin is being consumed. Okay, this is the true information. Because I've mentioned before that haptoglobin was in the red blood cell—part of me, I do apologize. Haptoglobin is a plasma protein. Thanks to the guy who corrected me in the comment section. I'm now making this video to correct myself again. Haptoglobin is a plasma protein.
So let's recap once again. Haptoglobin, plasma protein, synthesized and delivered—of course, delivered because the liver is the lab of your body. Now, hemolytic anemia: red blood cells are being destroyed, and hemoglobin is being released. Hemoglobin, haptoglobin will form a complex in the plasma. Then comes the macrophage and consumes or phagocytoses this complex. So haptoglobin is being consumed. That's why, in hemolysis, haptoglobin level is low. But which type of hemolysis—intravascular or extravascular? The answer is both. While it's true that haptoglobin levels are decreased especially in intravascular hemolysis, that doesn't exclude the fact that haptoglobin level will decrease in extravascular hemolysis as well. But why more in intravascular hemolysis? Again, because haptoglobin is in the plasma. When the red blood cell gets destroyed in the bloodstream, hemoglobin will escape directly to the plasma. In extravascular hemolysis, the destruction occurs in this plane, so most of the problem is contained in this plane. Yes, some hemoglobin will escape to the plasma. That's why haptoglobin level is low in either type of hemolysis. I hope this is clear. So haptoglobin is a bad idea to distinguish between intravascular versus extravascular hemolysis. Don't do it. Just already have haptoglobin; if the level is low, there is hemolysis, but you cannot tell if it's extravascular or intravascular. Am I clear?