7.0 Mass Transport Flashcards
What type of molecule is haemoglobin?
Protein
How many polypeptide chains make up a haemoglobin molecule?
4
What does haemoglobin transport?
Oxygen
What is the primary structure of haemoglobin?
The order of amino acids in the polypeptide chains
What is the secondary structure of haemoglobin
The coiling of the polypeptide chains into a helix
What is the tertiary structure of haemoglobin?
The folding of the polypeptide chains into a precise shape
What is the quaternary structure of a haemoglobin?
The linking of the 4 polypeptide chains into an almost spherical molecule. Each polypeptide also has an associated haem group
What ion does a haem group contain?
Fe2+
How many oxygen molecules does each Fe2+ ion combine with?
1 oxygen per Fe2+
How many oxygen molecules can a molecule of haemoglobin carry in humans?
4m one per haem group, 1 haem group in a polypeptide chain, 4 polypeptide chain in a haemoglobin molecule
What is the name given to the process in which haemoglobin binds to oxygen?
Loading or associating
What is the name given to the process in which oxygen is released from a haemoglobin molecule?
Unloading or dissociating
What does affinity mean with respect to haemoglobin?
The chemical attraction between the haemoglobin and oxygen
If haemoglobin has a high affinity for oxygen, what does this mean?
Easier to associate, harder to dissociate
If haemoglobin has a low affinity, what does this mean?
Harder to associate, easier to dissociate
To be good at transporting oxygen, what 2 characteristics must haemoglobin have?
It must readily associate with oxygen where gas exchange occurs. it must readily dissociate from oxygen in respiring tissues which require it
How does haemoglobin change its affinity for oxygen?
It will change shape when in the presence of
certain molecules (e.g. carbon dioxide). If
present, the carbon dioxide changes the shape, so
the oxygen nolonger fis as well, and is easily
disassociated
What do we mean by partial pressure?
The pressure exerted by one component of a mixture of gases, if it alone occupied the volume. Eg: atmospheric pressure is 100KPa, oxygen is 21% of the atmosphere, so its partial pressure is 21KPa
What does a dissociation curve represent?
it is a graph referring to the partial pressure of oxygen, and how saturated the haemoglobin is with oxygen
What shape does the oxygen dissociation curve take?
S
Why does the oxygen dissociation curve increase slowly to begin with?
The shape of the haemoglobin molecule makes binding the first oxygen molecule difficult
Why does the oxygen dissociation curve increase sharply after a slow beginning>
The first oxygen molecule to bind changes the shape of the quaternary structure, this makes binding of subsequent molecules easier
Why does the oxygen dissociation curve increase slowly at the end of the graph?
Probability. It is easier for the molecules to bind,
but the likelyhood of the 4th oxygen molecule to
find an empty bionding site is less likely.
What is the name given to the increase in ease of binding for the other oxygen molecules?
Positive cooperativity
If an oxygen dissociation curve is shifted to the left does that affect the affinity for oxygen?
Higher affinity for oxygen, loads more readily, unloads less readily
If an oxygen dissociation curve is shifted to right does that affect the affinity for oxygen?
Lower affinity for oxygen, loads less readily and unloads more readily
What affect does carbon dioxide have on the affinity of haemoglobin?
The higher the concentration of carbon dioxide, the lower the affinity of haemoglobin to oxygen. Haemoglobin releases oxygen more readily
What effect does a lower concentration of carbon dioxide have on the oxygen dissociation curve?
Shifts the curve to the left
What is the name given to the shifting of the oxygen dissociation curve due to carbon dioxide?
The Bohr effect
What affect does a higher concentration of carbon dioxide have on the oxygen dissociation curve?
Shifts it to the right
What effect does the Bohr effect have at the gas exchange surface?
Low carbon dioxide concentrations. Affinity of
haemoglobin for oxygen is increased, curve is
shifted to the left
What effect does the Bohr effect have at the respiring tissues?
High carbon dioxide concentrations. Affinity of
haemoglobin for oxygen is decreased, curve is
shifted to the right.
Why does the carbon dioxide cause the haemoglobin to lose oxygen more readily?
Dissolved carbon dioxide is acidic. The low pH
causes the haemoglobin to change shape.
How might the oxygen dissociation curve appear for an animal adapted to live in an area with a low partial pressure of oxygen?
They would require haemoglobin with a higher
oxygen affinity, so the curve would be further to
the left
Why do large organisms require a transport system?
Diffusion is fast enough for short distances, but
large organisms need to transport nutrients over a
greater distance
Why are specialist exchange surfaces required in large organisms?
Large organisms require a large amount of
nutrients and create a large amount of waste.
This requires greater surface area than the
surface of the organism creates.
What happens to the surface area to volume ratio as the size of an organism increases?
The surface are to volume ration decreases.
What two factors determine whether an organism requires a specialised transport medium or a pump to circulate it?
The surface area to volume ratio and the
activeness.
What are the main features of all transport systems?
A suitable medium (e.g. blood);
A form of mass transport to move the medium
great distances;
A closed system of branching vessels;
A mechanism for moving the medium in the
vessels by pressure differences.
A way of controlling the direction of mass
transport (e.g. valves)
A way of controlling the flow of medium to suit
changing needs of the organism
A mechanism to control the mass flow of water
or gases. (E.g. intercostal muscle and diaphragm)
How do animals move their transport medium around their bodies?
Muscular contraction, either body muscles or
specialised pump (heart).
How do plants move their transport medium?
Passive process such as evaporation: