Carbon Dioxide Transport

Question 1

How much CO2 does a typical adult produce at the basal rate?

Answer 1

200ml/min (at std temp and pressure)

Question 2

During vigorous exercise how much CO” can be produced?

Answer 2

4000ml/min

Question 3

How much CO2 is stored throughout the body in various forms?

Answer 3

120L

Question 4

Hydrogen ions produced by carbonic anhydrase can accumulate within the RBC cytoplasm as it cannot be transported out of the cell (Unlike H2O, CO2 and HCO3-). What mechanism are there to ensure how RBC deals with H+

Answer 4

1) Hamberger Shift - There is a HCO3/Cl- exchanger on RBC which ensures HCO3- is actively transported out the cell and Cl- is brought in to maintain electrical neutrality. Facilitated by membrane protein called Band 3.
2) Binding of H+ to histidine residues - acts a buggering agent.