Transporting

Oxygen
and
Carbon
dioxide
 Transport of Oxygen in the body
• Specification Reference
• understand the role of haemoglobin in the
transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide
• understand the oxygen dissociation curve of
haemoglobin, the Bohr effect and the
significance of the oxygen affinity of fetal
haemoglobin compared with adult
haemoglobin
• Must: To understand the oxygen dissociation
curve and Bohr effect
• Should: To be able to affinity of fetal
haemoglobin
• To be able to compare the fetal haemoglobin
with adult haemoglobin
 Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin is a protein making up 95% of the dry
mass of a red blood cell. It is the means of transport of
oxygen around the body.
Haemoglobin is made up of four polypeptide chains,
each bound to one haem group.
Each haem group can
combine with one oxygen
molecule, so that one
molecule of haemoglobin
can combine with a
maximum of four oxygen
molecules. This forms
oxyhaemoglobin.
polypeptide chain
How is oxygen concentration measured?
Oxygen binds to haemoglobin when oxygen is at a high
concentration, and dissociates from haemoglobin when oxygen
is at a low concentration.

The concentration of a gas in a mixture of gases can be

quantified in terms of its partial pressure. This is the amount of
pressure exerted by the gas relative to the total pressure exerted
by all the gases in the mixture.

Partial pressure is measured in

kilopascals (kPa) and is written
as P(O2), P(CO2), etc.
 Oxygen + Haemoglobin Oxyhaemoglobin

It is important to remember that this reaction is happening in red

blood cells at the alveolus.

This is how the red blood cells are able to bind hold of the oxygen
and carry it within the blood.

Oxyhaemoglobin Oxyhaemoglobin

Oxyhaemoglobin Each red blood cell is now loaded Oxyhaemoglobin

with oxygen molecules

Oxyhaemoglobin Oxyhaemoglobin
 If we now concentrate on one red blood cell, we can see how
important the haemoglobin molecule is to the process of transporting
oxygen.

O2

Each red blood cell The oxygen molecule diffuses

contains the pigment... into the red blood cell.
Each haemoglobin molecule can
pick up 4 molecules of oxygen

Haemoglobin + O2

Oxyhaemoglobin

These two molecules bind together to

produce this new substance.
Transporting Oxygen and Carbon dioxide
• Oxygen Transport - YouTube.flv

• Transport of Respiratory Gases - YouTube2.wm

v
The oxygen dissociation curve
Factors affecting oxygen dissociation
Oxygen dissociation curve for
human haemoglobin .
 Foetal haemoglobin
The red blood cells in the foetal bloodstream contain a special form
of haemoglobin known as foetal haemoglobin.

Foetal haemoglobin foetal haemoglobin

has a higher affinity for 100
90
oxygen than adult 80

oxyhaemoglobin (%
haemoglobin. 70 adult

saturation)
60 haemoglobin
This helps maximize 50
oxygen uptake from the 40
mother’s blood stream, 30
20
which has already lost 10
some of its oxygen by the 0
time it reaches the 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
oxygen
placenta. partial pressure (kPa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KdVAOCc-80
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KdV
AOCc-80
 What is myoglobin?
Myoglobin is a molecule with a similar structure to haemoglobin,
but with only one haem group.
myoglobin
Myoglobin has a very 100
90
high affinity for oxygen, 80

oxyhaemoglobin (%
even at very low partial 70 haemoglobin

saturation)
pressures. 60
50
This means 40
oxymyoglobin will only 30
dissociate when oxygen 20
10
levels are low. It is 0
found in muscle cells, 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
where it acts as an oxygen
partial pressure (kPa)
oxygen reserve.
Understanding oxygen transport
 Transport of CO2
Co2 reacts slowly with water to form Carbonic acid H2CO3. Which
then separates to form the ions H and HCO3

5% of CO2 is carried in plasma and 10-20% is carried with

haemoglobin molecules to form CARBAMINOHAEMOGLOBIN.

Most of the CO2 is transported in the cytoplasm of the RBC as

Hydrogencarbonate ions. This reaction is controled by carbonic
anhydrase
 The transport
of carbon
dioxide from
the tissues to
the lungs
depends on
the reaction of
carbon dioxide
with water ,
controlled by
an enzyme
carbonic
anhydrase in
the RBC
 Blood

Multiple choice questions

Which of these is not a function of blood?

A To support the body.

B To fight disease.

C To carry gases around the body.

D To carry hormones to their site of action.

 What is the name of the pigment within red
blood cells?

A haemoglycin

B haemoglobin

C haemoglycerol

D haemoglucose
 Which of these descriptions best suits the
shape of a red blood cell?

A a doughnut

B a round flat plate

C a biconcave disc

D a disc shaped shell

 What is missing from a red blood cell?

A the nucleus

B the cytoplasm

C the cell membrane

D answers A and B
What is the name of the straw-coloured liquid in
which blood cells are suspended?

A haem liquid

B cytoplasma

C blood fluid

D plasma
 What percentage of blood is made up of
plasma?

A 20%

B 40%

C 55%

D 65%
 Which of the these substances are carried by
blood plasma?

A oxygen, glucose, urea and amino acids

B amino acids, carbon dioxide, oxygen and fatty acids

C fatty acids, glucose, oxygen, glycerol

D urea, fatty acids, amino acids and carbon dioxide

 Blood plasma...

A defends the body against invading microbes.

B helps the blood to clot.

C transports urea from the liver to the kidneys.

D binds to oxygen.
 Red blood cells...

A need oxygen.

B attract carbon dioxide.

C carry oxygen.

D repel carbon dioxide.

The white blood cells are larger than red blood
cells. Their job is to...

A make the blood clot.

B carry oxygen to the cells of the body.

C defend the body against invading microbes.

D carry carbon dioxide.

• D
• D