The main function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and to carry carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, plays a vital role in respiration. Its main functions can be summarized as:
- Oxygen Transport: Hemoglobin binds to oxygen in the lungs, where oxygen concentration is high, and releases it to the tissues, where oxygen concentration is low.
- Carbon Dioxide Transport: Hemoglobin carries carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular metabolism, from the tissues back to the lungs for exhalation.
According to the reference, hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein within red blood cells (RBCs) that gives blood its red color. Its two primary functions are: "It transfers oxygen from your lungs to tissues throughout your body, and it carries carbon dioxide from cells back to the lungs so it can be expelled." (What Is the Function of Hemoglobin?)