Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
Zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) is a compound found in red blood cells when heme production is inhibited by lead and/or by lack of iron. Instead of incorporating a ferrous ion to form heme protoporphyrin IX the immediate precursor of heme incorporates a zinc ion forming ZPP. The reaction to insert a ferrous ion into protoporphyrin IX is catalyzed by the enzyme ferrochelatase.
