porphyrinogen
por·phy·rin·o·gen (por″fə-rinґə-jən) the reduced form of a porphyrin, containing pyrrole rings linked by methylene (CH2) instead of methylidyne bridges. The porphyrinogen forms are the functional intermediates in the biosynthesis of heme and if oxidized to their corresponding porphyrins, such as occurs in porphyrias, are irreversibly removed from the biosynthetic pathway and accumulate in tissues. Their nomenclature corresponds to that of the porphyrins.
Medical dictionary.
2011.