hepatogenous pigment

he·pa·tog·e·nous pig·'ment

bile pigment derived from the destruction of hemoglobin in the liver.

pigment

(pig'ment) [L. pigmentum, paint]

Any organic coloring matter in the body. See: albino; carotene; carotenoid; words beginning with chrom-

bile pigment

Any of the complex, highly colored waste products of the hemoglobin of old red blood cells, found in the bile. Included are bilirubin (orange), biliverdin (green), their derivatives (urobilinogen, urobilin, bilicyanin, and bilifuscin), and stercobilin, which gives brown color to intestinal contents and feces. Van den Bergh's test is used to detect the type of bilirubin in the blood serum.

Synonym: hepatogenous pigment

blood pigment

A pigment in blood (hemoglobin) or a derivative of it (hematin, hemin, methemoglobin, hemosiderin).

endogenous pigment

A pigment produced within the human body, as melanin.

exogenous pigment

A pigment produced outside the human body.

hematogenous pigment

A pigment from hemoglobin of the erythrocytes.

hepatogenous pigment

Bile pigment.

respiratory pigment

Any pigment such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, or cytochrome that has a part in the metabolism of oxygen within the body.

skin pigment

Melanin, melanoid, and carotene.

urinary pigment

Urochrome and sometimes urobilin.

uveal pigment

Melanin in the choroid layer of the eye, the ciliary processes, and the posterior surface of the iris. Uveal pigment absorbs light within the eyeball to prevent glare.

visual pigment

A light-absorbing compound in the photoreceptor cells of the retina that converts light energy into a nerve impulse that is passed from the receptor cells to the optic nerve.