Do RBCs breathe?

Prepared by:
Winona Mei A. Reyes, RMT
2020
 Do RBCs breathe?

Yes No
Objectives
1. Describe the occurrences that take place
during the loading and unloading of oxygen.
2. Illustrate the effect of 2,3-DPG on
hemoglobin’s oxygen affinity in cases of
decreased and increased concentrations of
PO2.
The loading and unloading of oxygen within
the RBC is equivalent to its respiratory
movement.

It involves with altering the affinity of

oxygen and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG)
to hemoglobin.
Do RBCs breathe?

Yes
No
 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
together
★ Expel 2,3-DPG 2,3-
2,3-
★ Break salt bridges
DPG
DPG

2,3- 2,3-
DPG DPG

RELAXED (R) FORM

 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
together O2

O2
★ Expel 2,3-DPG 2,3-
DPG
2,3-
DPG

★ Break salt bridges

2,3-
2,3- DPG
RELAXED (R) FORM DPG

O2

O2
 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
together 2,3-
2,3-
DPG O2
★ Expel 2,3-DPG
DPG
O2

★ Break salt bridges

RELAXED (R) FORM O2 2,3- O2

2,3-
DPG
DPG
 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
2,3-
DPG

2,3-

together DPG

★ Expel 2,3-DPG O2 O2

★ Break salt bridges

O2 O2

RELAXED (R) FORM 2,3-

DPG
2,3-
DPG
 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
together
★ Expel 2,3-DPG
★ Break salt bridges
O2
O2

O2 O2

RELAXED (R) FORM

 Loading of oxygen
★ ꞵ chains are pulled
together
★ Expel 2,3-DPG
★ Break salt bridges
O2
O2

O2 O2

RELAXED (R) FORM

 Unloading of oxygen
★ Widening space of β chains
2,3-
DPG

2,3-

★ Bind 2,3-DPG DPG

★ Form anionic salt bridges O2 O2

★ TENSE (T) FORM

O2 O2

2,3-
DPG
2,3-
DPG
 UnLoading of oxygen
★ Widening space of β chains
★ Bind 2,3-DPG 2,3-
2,3-
DPG O2
★ Form anionic salt bridges
DPG
O2

★ TENSE (T) FORM

2,3-
O2 2,3- O2
DPG
DPG
 UnLoading of oxygen
★ Widening space of β chains
★ Bind 2,3-DPG O2

O2
★ Form anionic salt bridges 2,3-
DPG
2,3-
DPG

★ TENSE (T) FORM 2,3-

2,3- DPG
DPG

O2

O2
 UnLoading of oxygen
★ Widening space of β chains
★ Bind 2,3-DPG O2

O2
★ Form anionic salt bridges 2,3-
DPG
2,3-
DPG

★ TENSE (T) FORM 2,3-

2,3- DPG
DPG

O2

O2
 UnLoading of oxygen
★ Widening space of β chains
★ Bind 2,3-DPG
★ Form anionic salt bridges 2,3-
DPG 2,3-
DPG

★ TENSE (T) FORM 2,3-

DPG
2,3-
DPG
 Let us take a look with the
relationship between 2,3-DPG and
hemoglobin’s oxygen affinity
 Shift to the left
➔ Is also known as the Haldane effect
➔ 2,3-DPG decreases
➔ Increases Hgb’s oxygen affinity
➔ Resulting in decreased oxygen release to
tissues
➔ Occurs when the body has increased PO2
 Shift to the right
➔ Is also known as the Bohr effect
➔ 2,3-DPG increases
➔ Decreases Hgb’s oxygen affinity
➔ Resulting in increased oxygen release to
tissues
➔ Occurs when the body has decreased PO2
To summarize...
2,3-DPG
has an
inverse relationship
with
hemoglobin’s oxygen affinity