7.2- TRANSPORT OF OXYGEN BY HAEMOGLOBIN Flashcards
How does haemoglobin bind to oxygen when it’s exposed to different partial pressures of oxygen?
does not bind oxygen evenly
What is the graph of the relationship between the saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen + partial pressure of oxygen known as?
oxygen dissociation curve
Why is the gradient of the oxygen dissociation curve initially shallow?
shape of haemoglobin molecules makes it difficult for first oxygen molecules to bind to one of its sites on its four polypeptide subunits as they’re closely united
so at low oxygen conc., little oxygen binds to haemoglobin
What does the binding of the first oxygen molecules do?
changes quaternary structure of haemoglobin molecule, causing it to change shape
What does the change is shape after the binding of the first molecule to haemoglobin do?
makes it easier for other subunits to bind to an oxygen molecule
In other words what does the first oxygen molecule induce?
induces other subunits to bind to an oxygen molecule
What does it take to bind second oxygen molecule?
takes smaller increase in partial pressure of oxygen than it did to bind to first one
What is positive cooperativity?
binding of first molecule makes binding of second easier + so on
What happens to the gradient of the oxygen dissociation curve due to positive cooperativity?
gradient steepens
What happen after the binding of the third molecule?
in theory it’s easier for haemoglobin to bind to fourth oxygen molecule, in practice it’s harder
Why is it harder for the fourth oxygen molecule to bind?
due to probability
majority of binding sites occupied, less likely that single oxygen molecule will find empty site to bind to
What happens to the gradient of the oxygen dissociation curve as its harder for the fourth oxygen molecule to bind?
curve reduces + graph flattens off
What does it say about affinity for oxygen when the oxygen dissociation curve is further to left?
further to the left the curve, the greater is the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen (so its loads oxygen readily but unloads it less easily)
What does it say about affinity for oxygen when the oxygen dissociation curve is further to the right?
further to the right the curve, the lower the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen (so it loads oxygen less readily but unloads more easily)
In what presence does haemoglobin have a reduced affinity for oxygen?
in presence of carbon dioxide
What happens to haemoglobin the greater the conc. of CO2?
more readily haemoglobin releases its oxygen (Bohr effect)
What is the conc. of CO2 like at the gas-exchange surface (e.g. lungs)?
conc. of CO2 low
Why is the conc. of CO2 low at the gas-exchange surface (e.g. lungs)?
as it diffuses across the exchange surface + is excreted from organism
As the conc. of CO2 at the gas-exchange surface is low, what is the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen like?
affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen increased, which, coupled with high conc. of O2 in lungs, means oxygen readily loaded by haemoglobin
What does the reduced CO2 conc. do to the oxygen dissociation curve?
shift oxygen dissociation curve to the left
What is the conc. of CO2 like in rapidly respiring tissues (e.g. muscles)
conc. of CO2 high