Haemoglobin A2 in newborn infants of different maturity.
From 70 infants born after gestation periods of 28-41 weeks HbF and HbA2 were determined in the cord blood; HbA was calculated from the two values. HbF decreased with maturity, HbA and HbA2 increased. The percentage of HbA2 calculated from the sum of HbA + HbA2 (non-fetal Hb) increased from 0.57% to 0.83% with maturity. These values are much lower than those in adult controls (1.83%). The results show that during development the synthesis of the delta-globin chains lags behind that of the beta-globin chains. This is remarkable considering the location of the delta-globin gene within the beta-globin like gene cluster.
D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005865:Gestational Age; D006441:Hemoglobin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006443:Hemoglobin A2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*
D006441:Hemoglobin A; D006443:Hemoglobin A2; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin