WK3: Pulmonary Responses to Exercise in the Trained State Flashcards
Why does gas exchange between the lungs-blood and blood-tissue levels?
Difference in pressure gradients (mmHg) result in diffusion. From a high pressure gradient to low pressure gradient.
At rest what is the pressure of O2 in the alveoli and in the blood?
Alveoli= 100 mmHg Blood= 40 mmHg
What happens to blood volume in the pulmonary capillaries during exercise?
Increases by 3x the resting volume. This maintains the low velocity of blood flow.
Why does the PO2 of arterial blood remain lower than alveolar blood?
Some of the blood in the alveoli passes through poorly ventilated alveoli (some blood doesn’t get alveolarised) - venous admixture.
What are the two factors that impair gas transfer capacity at the alveolar capillary membrane?
1) A build up of pollutant layer that thickens the alveolar membrane
2) Reduced Alveolar surface area
These both increase the time before alveolar-capillary gas equilibrates.
How long does it take for the Alveolar gas-Blood gas to equilibrate?
0.25 seconds
Why is oxygen concentration in bodily fluids low?
Oxygen is relatively insoluble
How much O2 dissolves in the blood when alveolar PO2 is 100mmHg?
3 ml of O2 for every 1L of blood
What is the blood volume of a 70kg person?
5L
At rest how much O2 is dissolved in the fluid section of blood in a 70kg man?
15ml
This would sustain 4 seconds of life
How much haemoglobin is in 1 Litre of blood?
men= 15g, women= 14g
May explain differences in aerobic capcity
How much oxygen is in 1 gram of haemoglobin?
1.34 ml
How much oxygen is normally carried by haemoglobin ?
20ml of oxygen per 1L of blood
1.34ml (O2 per 1g of haemoglobin) x 15g (haemoglobin in the blood)
What is cooperative binding?
The union of oxygen with haemoglobin
What does the oxygen dissociation curve outline?
The relationship between the partial pressure in the blood and the oxygen saturation in haemoglobin.
The changes in oxygen affinity in a red blood cell in the form of an S shaped curve.
- Oxygen binding to haemoglobin changes its shape
- This change in shape makes it easier for more oxygen to bind to it, increasing the affinity
- More oxygen will bind
- As spaces are filled further by oxygen, the rate of oxygen saturation decreases and plateaus, where increasing levels of PO2 in the blood will not bring about more saturation.
How do you calculate percentage saturation?
O2 combined with haemoglobin
_________________________ x100
O2 capacity of haemoglobin
Why does a large amount of oxygen not detach from haemoglobin at rest?
The demands for oxygen are lower
These act as a reserve for when there is a sudden increase in metabolic needs (higher O2 demands)
What causes the release of large amounts of O2 from haemoglobin?
The decrease in tissue PO2, due to the cells using more oxygen
What does 2,3 DPG stand for and how does it affect the haemoglobin?
2,3 diphosphoglycerate (produced by the RBC)
Loosely binds to haemoglobin, reducing it’s affinity for oxygen and causing a greater release to tissues for a given decrease in PO2
What people have an increased level of 2,3DPG production?
Those with cardiopulmonary disorders
Those who live at high altitude
What is myoglobin?
Iron containing globular protein in skeletal and cardiac muscle that provides an intracellular store for O2
What happens when the dissociation curve is shifted to the right?
There is an increase in dissociation of oxygen from haemoglobin
At any given blood PO2 on the binding curve, the oxygen saturation will be lower
What causes the haemoglobin shift?
- This curve shifts from left to right depending on where in the body the haemoglobin is (muscles and placenta needs O2 to be dissociated from haemoglobin so it is shifted to the right).
- Low PH, high temp, high PCO2, more 2,3 DPG, fast transit time = right shift
- High PH, low temp, low PCO2, less 2,3 DPG = left
- Fetal haemoglobin= larger left shift
How much metabolic CO2 moves into the blood plasma?
5%
Where does most of CO2 get stored?
Most combines with water forming carbonic acid.
Carbonic anhydrous and RBC speed up this process