A New Variant of Human Fetal Hemoglobin: Hb F_Roma

A new type of abnormal fetal hemoglobin, identified in Rome from the cord blood hemolysate of a healthy newborn girl, is described. This abnormal hemoglobin, which the authors provisionally name Hb F_Roma, has an electrophoretic mobility at alkaline pH identical to that of Hb Bart’s and a spectrum in the U. V. of the fetal type. It is, however, composed of normal alpha chains and altered gamma chains. Hb F_Roma, which was present at birth in the portion of 17 per cent, disappeared completely during the 5th month of life. No abnormal hemoglobins were identified in the parents.