Haptoglobin (HP) Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test

What is a haptoglobin (HP) exam?

This exam measures the quantity of haptoglobin in the blood. Haptoglobin is a protein manufactured by your liver. It attaches to a specified sort of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in your purple blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the relaxation of your physique. Most hemoglobin is situated inside purple blood cells, but small amounts flow into in the bloodstream. Haptoglobin binds to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Together, the two proteins are identified as the haptoglobin-hemoglobin advanced. This advanced is swiftly cleared from the bloodstream and taken off from the physique by your liver.

When purple blood cells are harmed, they release more hemoglobin into the bloodstream. That signifies more of the haptoglobin-hemoglobin advanced will be cleared from the physique. The haptoglobin may go away the physique a lot quicker than the liver can make it. This triggers your haptoglobin blood concentrations to drop. If your haptoglobin concentrations are way too reduced, it may be a indication of a problem of the purple blood cells, these types of as anemia.

Other names: hemoglobin-binding protein, HPT, Hp