Transportation, how is oxygen transported throughout the body? Flashcards
what is transportation of oxygen throughout the body affected by?
1) Affected by the surface area of a respiratory membrane (alveoli = a lot of surface area)
2) Differences of concentration of gasses accross the membrane (each side has a different concentration)
How is the respiratory system connected to the ciruclatory system?
Circulatory system: transports oxygen to cells, transports carbon dioxided from cells.
–> Respiratory system supplies the oxygen and gets rids of the carbon dioxide. while circulatory system transports the oxygen.
How is oxygen transported throughout the body (2 ways)
- Attaches to hemogloblin in Red blood cells
(Hemogloblin is an iron containing protein in RBC’s that bind to oxygen)
– Majourity of oxygen is attached to hemoglobin
– Reason why oxygentated blood is this bright red colour
—> More iron in blood = increase in blood capcity to carry oxgen
2) Oxygen is also dissolved in blood plasma
–> Blood plasma is the liquid componet of blood.
How is carbon dioxide transported throughout the body (surface level detail)
-> Dissolved in plasma
-> Attached to hemoglobin in RBC
-> Reacts with water in plasma to form carbonic acid.
1st part: of “Reacts with water in plasma to form carbonic acid” –> WHat is happening? Why is it happening? How does this affect our pH, where is this located?
When CO2 reacts with the water in plasma, it forms carbonic acid. This carbonic acid is UNSTABLE, so it does not remain in its form as acid for a long time because its environment (pH) does not allow it to. (Blood maintains a slightly basic pH)
–> therefore the carbonic acid dissociates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions
The hydrogen ions make the blood acidic, which is not favourited (more hydrogen ions in our blood = the more acidic our blood is = the pH level of our blood is lower)
—> Hemoglobin (the iron containing protein) binds to our hydrogen ions, making our blood NOT acidic.
AT THIS STAGE: this all happens in the BLOOD
2nd part: removing the co2, when co2 “Reacts with water in plasma to form carbonic acid” –> WHat is happening? Why is it happening? How does this affect our pH, where is this located?
–> “When the blood reaches the lungs”
When the blood reaches our lungs, oxygen bings to our hemoglobin, therefore our hemoglobin releases the hydrogen ions it was holding.
Because the hydrogen ions are “free” it creacts to the bicarbonate ions circulating in the blood plasma (because the setting is still BLOOD, no gases have moved out of the blood yet)
–> hydrogen ions + bicarbonate ions = (REFORMATION) carbonic acid
However the carbonic acid quickly dissocates AGAIN
–> why? (Partial pressure/concentration difference)
–> In the lungs (alveoli) there is LESS co2 then blood, creating a concentration difference.
–> because there is less co2, carbonic acid wants to dissociate (co2 naturally moves from areas of high concentration to low concentration)
-> therefore it dissociates to CARBON DIOXIDE and WATER
–> carbon dioxide then moves down the concentration gradeitn (and diffuses into the lungs)
Putting the 1st part and 2nd part together, what is happening? (overview)
Carbon dixoide diffuses into the blood, and the carbon dioxide reacts with the water in the blood plasama
–> this reaction forms CARBONIC acid. (it is unstable and it quickly diossicates) (It is unstable because the environment of blood is slightly basic)
–> Dissociates to Hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions
–> Bicarbonate ions circulate within the blood plasma, and hydrogen ions are binded to the hemoglobin to prevent the change of pH within blood
–> The blood then moves/circulates to your lungs.
–> Lungs environment has a lot of oxygen, this oxygen diffuses into the blood (following the concentration gradeint)
–> Oxygen binds nto the hemoglobin within the blood, therefore the hydrogen ions it was holding is released
–> Freely moving hydrogen ions in blood + bicarbonate ions in the blood plasma react and form carbonic acid again
–> Carbonic acid quickly dissociates again because of the co2 concentration gradeint (Blood = high co2, lungs = low co2, naturally co2 wants to travel to the lungs)
–> Carbonic accid dissociates to co2 and water, and the co2 moves down the concentration gradeint (into the lungs, where it is then physically exhaled out)
How does altitude effect out respiration?
The air is the most dense at sea level, at high altitudes the less air there is
–> Atitude increases = density of air molecules decrease
–> Desnity decrease = pressure decrease
“Air is thinner”
–> Less air = less oxygen molecules = increased breathing rate + increase rate of producing RBCS
What is erythropoietin (EPO) ?
–> How is this related to altitude?
A hormone secreted by the kidneys, and stimulates RBC production
More RBCS = more oxygen being transported throughout our bodies. (More o2 transported and absorbed)
This acocunts for the less oxygen ifference
less oxygem = more rbcs = more oxygen transportation, therefore person does not suffer from a lack of oxygen
What does live high train low mean?
Training at a high altitude = more red blood cells = more oxygen reacing the muscles
–> Athletes should live at a high althtitude to stimulte more RBS, but should train at a lower altitude (where there is more oxygen), therefore optimizing endurance
More red blood cells + more oxygen = more energy
What is you are at a low altitude/under water?
lower altitudes = increase in air pressure
Air is denser and theoritcally theres a greater # of oxygen molecules per breath
However lower altitudes usually means underwater, and humans cannot breath under water
–> must carry oxgen tanks, these tanks are not filled with pure oxygen, it is a spelcialized mixture of gasses
WHat is breathing controlled by? Is it involunvary or voluntary? (Flowchart)
Breathing is an involuntary action, controlled by the coordinated efforts of the nervous system and the circulatory system
–> inhalation and exhalation are controlled by the brain (The brain signals/stimulate sintercostal muscles to contract and your diaphragm to contract)
1) Brain signals inhaling
–> Diaphragm contracts (down)
–> External intercostal muscles (Up and outwards)
2) Stretch receptors in the lungs signal back to the brain
–> Indicates that the lungs have expanded
3) Brain stops the signalling of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, casuing them to relax which is the reason why we exhales
–> Relax = diaphragm moves ups to its original position
–> RIbs move down and inwards
What are the 2 tings our rate of breathing is controled by?
-> What is it monitiored by?
-> What tyoe if “Feedback loop” is it?
–> Demand for o2
–> The need to eliminate co2
Monitored by the chemical receptors within our brain, and works as a negative feed backloops
(Pos feed backloops, improving/increaseing the change; neg = set level at the start was the best, working to neither decrease or increase the change)
increase in cellular respiration = increase in carbon dioxide as waste product = increase in creation of carbonic acid = pH of blood is lowered
Decrease in pH = co2 levels are too high, which is recognized by brain receptors, therefore the brain responds by increasing breathing rate and increasing volumn of inhalation + increase of heart rate (quicker delivery of oxygen)
Why do we need more oxygen when we excersize?
we need more energy because we are using more energy (usage of ATP)
ATP is created by aerobic cellular respiration which relies on oxygen.
–> Why do we breath harder?
Exercise = energy = use a lot of oxygen (oxygen drop)
Energy use = produces a lot of CO2 (as a waste product)
