Bilirubin is a product of which process?

Study liver anatomy and function with our medical students test. Engage with detailed multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your test!

Bilirubin arises from the breakdown of heme during red blood cell destruction. When old RBCs are cleared by macrophages, heme is released and converted first to biliverdin and then to bilirubin. This bilirubin is unconjugated and travels in the blood bound to albumin to the liver, where it is conjugated to become water-soluble for excretion in bile. So, bilirubin comes from hemoglobin breakdown in destroyed RBCs, not from degradation of albumin or myoglobin, and it isn't synthesized anew in the liver.