biliverdin
noun
bil·i·ver·din
| \ ˌbi-li-ˈvər-dᵊn
, ˈbi-li-ˌvər-\
, ˈbi-li-ˌvər-\
Definition of biliverdin
: a green pigment that occurs in bile and is an intermediate in the degradation of hemoglobin heme groups to bilirubin
Examples of biliverdin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When red cells die, the body converts the hemoglobin down into somewhat less toxic compounds including the green pigment biliverdin. — Quanta Magazine, "Icefish Study Adds Another Color to the Story of Blood," 22 Apr. 2019 Hundreds of malaria parasites infect lizards, and some studies have shown that biliverdin can block the growth of the parasite that causes the illness, as well as killing infected red blood cells. — Laura Yan, Popular Mechanics, "Green-Blooded Lizards Live With a Pigment That Should Kill Them," 20 May 2018 The liver then gathers them and takes out the iron, creating the green waste product biliverdin, which is later transformed further into yellow bilirubin. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "These Lizards Evolved Toxic Green Blood," 17 May 2018 Their current, admittedly speculative, hypothesis is that the biliverdin-rich blood protects against parasites. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "These Lizards Evolved Toxic Green Blood," 17 May 2018 The high concentrations of the green bile pigment biliverdin in the blood overwhelms the crimson color of red blood cells resulting in a lime-green coloration of the muscles, bones, and mucosal tissues. — Fox News, "Green-blooded lizards pose evolutionary puzzle," 16 May 2018 According to TIME, veterinarians think the cause is exposure to biliverdin, a green bile pigment found in the placenta, which can stain a pup's coat when mixed with the mom's amniotic fluid. — Lauren Matthews, Country Living, "Meet 'Forest', a Golden Retriever Puppy Who Was Born Green," 18 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'biliverdin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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