Allosteric properties of hemoglobin and the plasma membrane of the erythrocyte: New insights in gas transport and metabolic modulation

Within the red blood cell the hemoglobin molecule is subjected
to modulation mechanisms, namely homo- and heterotropic
interactions, which optimize its functional behavior to
the specific physiological requirements. At the cellular level,
these modulation mechanisms are utilized to perform a number
of other functions that are not minor with respect to the basic
function of oxygen transport. Here we report some key examples
concerning: (i) the interaction of hemoglobin with band 3
and its influence on glucose metabolism; (ii) the role of the
ligand-linked quaternary transition of hemoglobin in the control
of ''NO bioactivity'' and of gas diffusion; (iii) the interaction of
plasma membrane with the various oxidative derivatives of the
hemoglobin molecule.