label: Hemoglobin Barts
label_lc: hemoglobin barts
description: "Normal adult hemoglobin is composed of two chains each of alpha and beta globin. Hb Barts (Hemoglobin Barts) is a tetramer with four gamma globin chains, and is essentially pathognomonic for one or another form of alpha thalassemia. Hb Barts has an extremely high affinity for oxygen, resulting in almost no oxygen delivery to the tissues."