porphyrin Definition
any of a class of organic compounds that contain four pyrrole rings arranged in a square; they occur widely in nature in both free and combined forms, notably as the central metal-containing prosthetic group (e.g. heme) in hemoglobin and other respiratory pigments, and as chlorophyll in green plants.
Using porphyrin: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "porphyrin" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
Porphyrins are essential for many biological processes.
Example
The porphyrin ring is a key component of hemoglobin.
Example
Chlorophyll is a type of porphyrin.
Summary: porphyrin in Brief
A 'porphyrin' [pawr-fuh-rin, -reen, pohr-] is a type of organic compound that contains four pyrrole rings arranged in a square. It is found in nature in both free and combined forms, and is essential for many biological processes. Porphyrins are notably present as the central metal-containing prosthetic group in hemoglobin and other respiratory pigments, and as chlorophyll in green plants.
