Role of haemoglobin in oxygen delivery to tissue Flashcards
Describe oxygen delivery system to tissues
Oxygen diffuses into from blood to tissues to cells via oxygen pressure gradient.
Pressure of arterial PO2
100 mmHg
Pressure of interstitial fluid PO2
40 mmHg
Pressure of intercellular PO2
25 mmHg
Haemoglobin carries?
15 mL of oxygen per gram
Describe haemoglobin function
- Hb increases blood oxygen carrying capacity by 60x
- Without Hb, not enough oxygen can dissolve in blood.
What is haemoglobin?
Metalloprotein that binds to oxygen
_____ of blood oxygen is bound to Hb
98.5%
Composition of haemoglobin?
Made of 4 polypeptide chains alpha-gamma-beta, each with heme group (iron molecule in a porphyrin group)
How many iron molecules are bound to each oxygen molecule?
Each iron molecule can reversibly bind to one oxygen molecule (4 per haemoglobin)
Haemoglobin A (Hb A) is?
Adult haemoglobin with 2 alpha-chains and 2 beta-chains
Haemoglobin F (Hb F) is?
Fetal Hb with 2 alpha-chains and 2 gamma-chains; higher oxygen binding affinity; replaced by Hb A at 6 months.
Define “cooperative binding”
When one molecule of oxygen binds to haemoglobin, the conformation changes to R state and Hb affinity for more oxygen increases.
T state of haemoglobin?
T state = Deoxygenated state; tense; low affinity for oxygen
R state of haemoglobin?
R state = oxygenated state; relaxed; high affinity for oxygen
Cooperative binding explains?
Explains the oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve