B3.1 HL only Flashcards
deoxygenated blood
blood that has a reduced oxygen concentration compared to oxygenated blood
Haemoglobin
a protein within red blood cells that binds to and transports oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and organs, and carbon dioxide back to the lungs for exhalation
haem groups
a prosthetic group, meaning it’s a non-protein part of a protein that is essential for its function
Fe2+ ion
a positively charged ion of iron with a +2 charge
Cooperative binding
a situation where the binding of one molecule (a ligand) to a binding site on a macromolecule (like a protein) affects the affinity of other binding sites for the same or different ligands
conformational change
an alteration in the three-dimensional shape of a macromolecule, typically a protein, resulting from changes in its environment or interactions with other molecules
placenta
a temporary, vascular organ that develops during pregnancy in most mammals, connecting the fetus to the uterine wall
Foetal haemoglobin
a form of haemoglobin that predominates in red blood cells during fetal development and for a period after birth
allosteric site
a regulatory binding site on a protein (often an enzyme) that is distinct from the protein’s active site
carbonic acid
a weak acid formed when carbon dioxide (CO₂) dissolves in water
Bohr shift
describes how increased carbon dioxide concentration or decreased blood pH leads to a decrease in hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen
partial pressure (mmHg)
the pressure exerted by a specific gas within a mixture of gases, often expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg)
O2 saturation (%)
the percentage of hemoglobin molecules in the blood that are carrying oxygen
oxygen dissociation curve
a graph that illustrates the relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) in the blood and the saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen
