Cooperativity and allosteric regulation in non-mammalian vertebrate haemoglobins.

1. This review illustrates the vast range of molecular functions expressed in non-mammalian vertebrate haemoglobins; with particular reference to the degree of aggregation of haemoglobin subunits and their interactions with allosteric effectors. 2. In at least the broadest sense, these properties suggest that haemoglobin function in non-mammalian vertebrates can be viewed against the evolutionary hierarchy of organisms rather than from a purely adaptive perspective.