Globin is converted into what compound with the help of the biliverdin reductase enzyme?

The correct answer is bilirubin. Globin, which is a protein component of hemoglobin, is broken down during the catabolism of red blood cells. When hemoglobin is degraded, it separates into its components: heme and globin. The globin portion is further broken down into amino acids, while the heme group undergoes a series of transformations.

Initially, the heme is converted into biliverdin through a process involving heme oxygenase, which introduces molecular oxygen and produces carbon monoxide. Subsequently, biliverdin is reduced to bilirubin by the enzyme biliverdin reductase. This conversion is crucial as bilirubin serves important physiological roles, such as being a potent antioxidant and playing a key role in the body’s detoxification processes.

Therefore, the relationship between biliverdin and bilirubin is vital in understanding the metabolism of hemoglobin, making bilirubin the correct answer.