haemoglobin

Question 1

What is the advantage to tissue cells of a reduction in the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen when the plasma pH decreases?

Answer 1

low pH because high rate of respiration;
cells need more O2;
more O2 released / O2 released faster;

Question 2

Explain the advantage for mice living at high altitude in having a dissociation curve which is to the left of the curve for mice living at low altitude.

Answer 2

high altitudes have a low partial pressure of O2;
high saturation / affinity of Hb with O2 (at low partial pressure O2);
so sufficient / enough O2 supplied to cells / tissues;

Question 3

Species A lives in water containing a low partial pressure of oxygen. Species C lives in water with a high partial pressure of oxygen. The oxygen haemoglobin dissociation curve for species A is to the left of the curve for species C. Explain the advantage to species A of having haemoglobin with a curve in this position.

Answer 3

Hb (in A) has greater affinity for O2;
becomes saturated at low(er) ppO2 / more saturated at same
ppO2 / unsaturated at very low ppO2;
able to supply enough O2 to its tissues;