Defective red blood cells are broken down
A) and removed from the blood by antibodies.
B) into heme and globin molecules.
C) and have their heme groups converted into amino acids and recycled.
D) and have their globin groups converted to bilirubin.
E) and have their iron excreted into the small intestine as part of bile.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Defective red blood cells are broken down into heme, which contains iron, and globin, which contains amino acids. The heme is then converted into bilirubin, which is excreted by the liver into the digestive system as part of bile. The iron is also recycled and used to make new red blood cells. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.

Defective Red Blood Cells Are Broken Down