12 The Transport of O2 and CO2 in the Blood Flashcards
Red blood cells
- Function
- Hemoglobin
- Importance of hemoglobin
- Function
- Transfer of O2 from lungs to tissue and CO2 from tissue to lungs
- Hemoglobin
- A molecule in the RBC used to overcome the poor dissolving capability of O2
-
Necessary to deliver O2
- O2 dissolves poorly in the plasma
- Importance of hemoglobin
- When there’s O2 in the lungs, it diffuses across alveolar capillary membrane into the RBC
- O2 binds to hemoglobin molecules
- O2 bound to the hemoglobin molecules is transported through the bloodstream to the tissues
- In the tissues, where the O2 tension is lower, O2 is released from the hemoglobin
- O2 diffuses out into the tissues
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Hemoglobin structure and function
- Structure allows…
- 2 parts
- Synthesis
- Structure allows
- Cooperative binding to bind in the lung and release it in capillaries
- 2 parts
-
Heme moiety
- Protoporphyrin ring with an iron atom in center
-
4 globin chains
- 2 alpha
- 2 beta
-
Heme moiety
- Synthesis
- Synthesized in the bone marrow and reticulocytes
- Bone marrow is taken in by cells
- Transferrin has iron bound to it
- Some iron is transferred to ferritin
- Iron is taken into the mitochondria where some molecules are being formed into the protoporphyrin ring
- Iron binds to the ring and is excreted from the mitochondria in the plasma reticulum
- Alpha and beta chains are generated in the cytoplasm
- Chains come together to form hemoglobin
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Cooperativity
-
First oxygen binds to Fe in heme of Hb
- Fe is drawn into the plane of the porphyrin ring
-
Conformational changes that are transmitted to adjacent subunits
- “Allosteric regulation”
- Increases adjacent subunits’ affinity for O2
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Cooperativity and oxyhemoglobin curve
- Cooperativity allows for…
- Oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve
- Shifts in the curve
- Normal position of curve depends on…
- Right shift
- Left shift
- Cooperativity allows for…
- Rapid loading and unloading of oxygen
- Oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve
- Measures cooperativity
- Sigmoid shape
- Shifts in the curve
-
Normal position of curve depends on…
- Concentration of 2,3-DPG
- H+ ion concentration (pH)
- CO2 in RBCs
-
Right shift
- Decreased oxygen affinity
- High 2,3-DPG
- High H+ (low pH, acidic)
-
Left shift
- Increased oxygen affinity
- Low 2,3-DPG
- Low H+ (high pH, basic)
-
Normal position of curve depends on…
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Arterial oxygen content
- Major function of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
- Oxygen is transported in the blood in two ways
- The amount of oxygen carried in each form is dependent on…
- Major function of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
- Provide an adequate amount of oxygen to the tissues
- Failure to accomplish this goal results in tissue hypoxia
- Oxygen is transported in the blood in two ways
- (1) In physical solution in the plasma as dissolved oxygen
- (2) In chemical combination with hemoglobin (HbO2)
- The amount of oxygen carried in each form is dependent on…
- The partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) to which each medium is exposed
Arterial oxygen content:
Dissolved oxygen
- The amount of oxygen transported as dissolved oxygen in blood (at 37OC) is defined by the equation
- The relationship between dissolved oxygen and the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
- The amount of oxygen transported as dissolved oxygen in blood (at 37OC) is defined by the equation
- Dissolved oxygen (ml O2/100 ml blood) = 0.003 x PaO2
- The relationship between dissolved oxygen and the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
- Linear
- Low oxygen carrying capacity
- That is, the amount of dissolved oxygen is directly proportional to the PaO2, regardless of the value
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Arterial oxygen content:
Combined with hemoglobin
- Hemoglobin
- The relationship between the hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) and the PaO2
- The relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood and the saturation of hemoglobin is influenced by…
- Hemoglobin
- Major means of transporting oxygen in the blood
- When completely saturated with oxygen, one gram of hemoglobin is capable of carrying 1.34 ml of O2
- 1.34 ml O2 / 100 ml blood x [Hgb] x %sat
- High oxygen carrying capacity
- The relationship between the hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) and the PaO2
- Defined by the oxy-hemoglobin association curve shown below
- Non-linear relationship
- Relatively steep portion between a partial pressure of oxygen in the range of 10-50 mmHg
- Relatively flat portion in the range > 70 mmHg
- Defined by the oxy-hemoglobin association curve shown below
- The relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood and the saturation of hemoglobin is influenced by…
- pH
- Temperature
- Concentration of inorganic phosphates, such as 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG)
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Arterial oxygen content:
Combined with hemoglobin
- Relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen and the hemoglobin saturation is conveniently defined by the P50
- An elevation in temperature…
- More alkaline pH…
- A reduction in the arterial partial pressure of oxygen from a value of 100 mmHg to 70 mmHg…
- Further reductions to the levels typical of tissue oxygen partial pressures (about 40 mmHg) will result in…
- Major form of O2 transport in the blood
- Relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen and the hemoglobin saturation is conveniently defined by the P50
- The PO2 at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated
- An elevation in temperature…
- Shifts the oxyhemoglobin saturation curve to the right
- Results in an elevation in the P50
- More alkaline pH…
- Shifts the curve to the left
- Results in a reduction in the P50
- A reduction in the arterial partial pressure of oxygen from a value of 100 mmHg to 70 mmHg…
- Has a minimal impact on the amount of oxygen combined with hemoglobin
- Further reductions to the levels typical of tissue oxygen partial pressures (about 40 mmHg) will result in…
- Significant “unloading” of oxygen at the tissue bed
- Major form of O2 transport in the blood
- Hemoglobin associated O2 transport
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Oxygen content of arterial blood (CaO2)
- Definition
- Equation
- Ex. a patient with normal body temperature (37OC), a partial pressure of arterial oxygen of 80 mmHg, a corresponding saturation of hemoglobin of 96%, and a blood hemoglobin concentration of 15 g/dl, we can summarize the oxygen content of the blood as follows
- Dissolved oxygen
- Combined oxygen
- Total CaO2
- Definition
- Sum of the oxygen carried by hemoglobin and the amount dissolved in plasma
- Depends mostly on oxygen combined to Hgb
- Equation
- CaO2 (ml O2/dl blood) = [1.34 (ml O2/gram of completely saturated hemoglobin) x Hgb (grams/dl blood) x SaO2/100] + [0.003 (ml O2/mmHg) x PaO2 (mmHg)]
- CaO2 = Hgb-O2 + dissolved O2 = (1.34 x [Hgb] x % sat) + (0.003 x PO2)
- CaO2 ≈ 1.34 x [Hgb] x (SaO2 / 100)
- Ex. a patient with normal body temperature (37OC), a partial pressure of arterial oxygen of 80 mmHg, a corresponding saturation of hemoglobin of 96%, and a blood hemoglobin concentration of 15 g/dl, we can summarize the oxygen content of the blood as follows
- Dissolved oxygen
- 80 mmHg x 0.003 ml O2 / mmHg = 0.24 ml O2 / dl blood
- Combined oxygen
- 1.34 ml of O2 / g Hgb x 15 g Hgb/dl blood x 0.96 = 19.3 ml O2 / dl blood
- Total CaO2
- 19.54 ml O2 / dl blood
- Dissolved oxygen
Arterial blood oxygen delivery
- The O2 provided to each organ
- Total oxygen delivery (DO2)
- Required to convert CaO2 into ml O2 per liter of blood
- Tissue hypoxia can result from…
- The O2 provided to each organ is the product of…
- The arterial oxygen content
- The blood flow to that individual organ
- Total oxygen delivery (DO2)
- The product of arterial oxygen content and cardiac output.
-
DO2 (ml O2/min) = CaO2 (ml O2/dl blood) x CO (L/min) x 10 (dl/L)
- DO2 = O2 delivery
- CaO2 = O2 content of arterial blood
- CO = cardiac output
- DO2 ≈ CaO2 x CO ≈ 1.34 x [Hgb] x (SaO2 / 100) x CO
- Required to convert CaO2 into ml O2 per liter of blood
- Multiplying by 10
- Tissue hypoxia can result from…
- A reduction in the arterial oxygen content
- A decrease in tissue blood flow
The effects of a 50% reduction in the individual variables associated with tissue oxygen delivery
- Normal
- Tissue oxygen delivery = 1020
- PaO2 = 100
- SaO2 = 100
- Hgb = 15
- CO = 50
- PaO2 –> 50
- Hgb –> 7.5
- CO –> 25
- Tissue oxygen delivery = 1020
- PaO2 = 100
- SaO2 = 100
- Hgb = 15
- CO = 50
- PaO2 –> 50
- SaO2 –> 87
- Tissue oxygen delivery –> 882
- Hgb –> 7.5
- Tissue oxygen delivery –> 518
- CO –> 25
- Tissue oxygen delivery –> 510
Transport of CO2 in the blood:
The transport of carbon dioxide from actively metabolizing cells to the lungs for excretion involves a number of processes
- In the tissues, CO2 diffuses…
- Once in the blood…
- The majority of the CO2…
- The remainder…
- CO2 transport in arterial vs. venous blood
- In the tissues, CO2 diffuses along its partial pressure gradient into the plasma
- Diffusion of CO2 from tissue cells
- 20x more soluble than O2
- Once in the blood…
- The majority of the CO2 enters the red blood cell
- The remainder stays in the plasma
- Chemical reactions in the plasma and in RBCs
- CO2 transport in arterial vs. venous blood
-
Arterial
- Most CO2 is transported as HCO3-
- Very little CO2 is transported as carbamino or dissolved CO2
-
Venous
- Still a lot of CO2 is transported as HCO3
- But a lot more is transported as carbamino or dissolved CO2
-
Arterial
Transport of CO2 in the blood:
In the plasma, CO2 can be transported in 1 of 3 ways
- Like oxygen, the amount of CO2 dissolved in plasma is relatively small
- Each dl of plasma will carry about 0.067 ml of CO2 for each mmHg PCO2
- Dissolved carbon dioxide (ml CO2/dl blood) = 0.067 (ml CO2/ mmHg) x PaCO2 (mmHg)
- CO2 can be bound by reactions with plasma proteins to form carbamino compounds
- CO2 can be hydrated in the following reaction:
- CO2 + H2O ⇔ H2CO3 ⇔ H+ + HCO3-
- This reaction in plasma is relatively slow, since the critical enzyme, carbonic
anhydrase, is not present
RBC CO2 transport
- RBC
- Hydration
- NH2 groups
- CO2 is dissolved in RBC
-
Hydration
- H2O + CO2 <–> H2CO3 <–> H+ + HCO3-
- H+ buffered by Hgb / O2 unloaded
- Bohr effect
- HCO3- may be carried in the plasma
-
NH2 groups of Hg form carbamino groups
- R-NH2 + CO2 <–> R-NHCOO- + H+
Transport of CO2 in the blood:
Fates of CO2
- Majority of CO2
- A small quantity of CO2
- Haldane effect
- Bohr effect
- Majority of CO2
- Enters the RBC
- A small quantity of CO2
- Dissolved within the RBC
- Haldane effect
- CO2 can combine directly with hemoglobin to form carbamino groups
- Formation of these compounds is enhanced by the presence of unsaturated hemoglobin
- Bohr effect
- Since RBCs contain the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, CO2 is readily hydrated to form H+ and HCO3-
- Most of the bicarbonate moves from the RBC into the plasma, and chloride shifts into the RBCs to maintain electrical neutrality
- This is the main mechanism for CO2 transport in the blood
- Hemoglobin combines with or buffers the free H+ generated, and this results in a conformational change, which decreases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen
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Bohr effect
-
Describes the effect of PCO2 on the affinity of hemoglobin for O2
- In the tissues, PCO2 rises, thereby lowering pH and decreasing the affinity of hemoglobin for O2
- In the lungs, the reverse occurs as PCO2 falls
- This facilitates the loading of O2 in the lungs and the release of O2 in the tissues
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Haldane effect
- Describes the effect of PO2 on the affinity of hemoglobin for CO2
- That is, deoxygenated hemoglobin has a greater affinity for CO2 than does oxyhemoglobin
- This results from the enhanced ability of deoxygenated hemoglobin to both form carbamino compounds and to accept the H+ released by the hydration of CO2
- This enhances the ability to load CO2 in the tissues and release it in the lungs
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Relationship between the Bohr and Haldane effects
- Both
- RBC
- Haldane
- Bohr
- Tissue
- Haldane
- Bohr
- Both
- Important reactions that are complimentary and facilitate oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in the tissues and the lungs
- RBC
- Haldane
- Hgb oxygenation facilitates CO2 unloading
- Bohr
- Decreased CO2 facilitates O2 loading
- Haldane
- Tissue
- Haldane
- Unoxygenated Hgb facilitates CO2 loading
- Bohr
- Increased CO2 facilitates O2 unloading
- Haldane
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O2 vs. CO2 carrier systems
- O2 carrier system
- CO2 carrier system
- PaCO2 and CO2
- The oxygen carrier system (hemoglobin) is readily saturated once a critical partial pressure of oxygen is achieved (> 60 mm Hg)
- In contrast, the multiple carrier systems for CO2 in the blood assure that saturation of the carrier system does not occur even in the presence of significant anemia
- PaCO2 and CO2 content are nearly linearly related over the entire physiologic range
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Clinical applications:
Hemoglobin saturation
- Main way we can figure out how much O2 content there is
- O2 + Hgb <–> Hgb-O2
- Measured by ABG and optical sensors
-
Calculation
- (O2 combined with Hgb) / (O2 capacity to combine with Hgb) x 100
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Pulse oximeter
- Absorption spectra of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin differ
-
Oxyhemoglobin
- Lower absorption of the 660 nm wavelength
- Higher absorption of the 940 nm wavelength
- Ratio of absorption at these different wavelengths is used for measurement
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Clinical applications of SaO2
- Diagnostically
- Safety monitoring
-
Diagnostically
- Sleep apnea
- Screen for lung or cardiac disease
-
Safety monitoring
- Hospital - ICU and operating rooms
- At home - monitor chronic disease
Physiologic examples
- Exercise at sea level
- Breathing at 12,000 ft
-
Exercise at sea level
- Muscle generate acid –> rightward shift in the curve
- Oxygen released more effectively at the tissues
-
Breathing at 12,000 ft
- ~490 torr –> PAO2 ~43
-
What do you do
- Hyperventilate –> decrease CO2
-
Alkalosis –> shifts O2 dissociation curve to the left
- Allows saturation of hemoglobin at lower PaO2 levels
Key points
- Hemoglobin allows for…
- DO2 ≈
- CO2 transport depends mostly on…
- Bohr and Haldane effects explain…
- Hemoglobin allows for enriched carrying capacity of oxygen in the blood
- DO2 ≈ 1.34 X Hgb X (SaO2/100) X CO
- CO2 transport depends mostly on the erythrocyte
- **Bohr and Haldane effects explain the interaction between O2 / CO2 transport **