Haemoglobin Flashcards
1
Q
What is haemoglobin?
A
A protein with a quaternary structure
2
Q
Where is haemoglobin found?
A
In red blood cells
3
Q
What does haemoglobin do?
A
Transports oxygen (haemoglobin + oxygen <=> oxyhaemoglobin)
4
Q
What happens to the % saturation of O2 in haemoglobin as it travels around respiring cells and the lungs?
A
- Oxygen loads onto haemoglobin at a high partial pressure of oxygen (at the lungs)
- Haemoglobin becomes saturated with oxygen
- Oxygen unloads at cells where partial pressure of oxygen is low
5
Q
What effect does the BohR shift have on the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve?
A
It shifts it to the right
6
Q
Why does the BohR shift happen?
A
- When an organism respires a lot there is more carbon dioxide in the blood
- An increase in carbon dioxide causes an increase in blood acidity
- An increase in blood acidity decreases the haemoglobins affinity of oxygen
- Oxygen unloads more easily at respiring cells
- Haemoglobin is less saturated with oxygen because it has released more oxygen at respiring cells
