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Article: Glycosylated Hemoglobin
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Public Health
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN
The red blood cells of all individuals contain hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen through the bloodstream. When hemoglobin combines with glucose (sugar), a molecule called glycosylated hemoglobin, or Hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c), is formed. Since everyone has glucose in their blood, all individuals also have glycosylated hemoglobin in their blood (usually between 3 and 5 percent of blood).
The amount of A1c in red blood cells is proportional to the amount or concentration of glucose in the blood, and to the age of the red blood cells. (The average red blood cell lives approximately 120 days, with new ones replacing dying red blood cells continuously. ...