hemepockets
Hemepockets is a term used in biochemistry and cell biology to describe specialized subcellular microenvironments or structural motifs that bind, store, or regulate the availability of heme within cells. The concept encompasses discrete protein complexes, lipid-bound compartments, or transient assemblies that can cocoon heme away from cytosolic danger while delivering it to apoenzymes as needed. The exact nature of hemepockets is variable; they may be formed by heme-binding proteins acting as chaperones, by rearrangements of membranes, or by protein–lipid scaffolds.
Their functions center on heme homeostasis and protection from heme toxicity. By concentrating heme, they help
Formation and dynamics are typically induced by cellular iron status, oxygen availability, and redox conditions. Hemepockets
In research, hemepockets are used as a framework to study intracellular heme handling, with methods including