Haemoglobin & Bohr Effect

Question 1

What is haemoglobin?

Answer 1

a protein with a quaternary structure (more than one polypeptide chain)

found in red blood cells

transports oxygen - haemaglobin + oxygen -> oxyhaemoglobin

Question 2

What happens during the oxyhaemaglobin dissassociation curve?

Answer 2

O2 loads onto haemaglobin at a high partial pressure of O2

haemaglobin becomes saturated with O2

oxygen unloads at the cells where p.p of o2 is low

Y axis - % saturation of haemaglobin with O2 - how much oxygen has the haemaglobin got

X axis - partial pressure - how much o2 is around

(will look like an S)

Question 3

What is the BohR shift?

Answer 3

when an organism respires a lot there is more CO2 in blood

more CO2 = higher blood acidity

higher blood acidity decreases haemaglobins affinity for o2

O2 unloads more easily at respiring cells

haemaglobin is less saturated with O2 bc it has released more O2 at respiring cells

Question 4

What does the Bohr Shift also do?

Answer 4

increases respiration and increases CO2 in blood