H6 Gas exchange

Assessment StatementsH.6.1 Define partial pressure. H.6.2 Explain the oxygen dissociation curves of adult

hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin and myoglobin. H.6.3 Describe how carbon dioxide is carried by the blood,

including the action of carbonic anhydrase, the chloride shift and buffering by plasma proteins.

H.6.4 Explain the role of the Bohr shift in the supply of oxygen to respiring tissues.

H.6.5 Explain how and why ventilation rate varies with exercise.

H.6.6 Outline the possible causes of asthma and its effects on the gas exchange system.

H.6.7 Explain the problem of gas exchange at high altitudes and the way the body acclimatizes.

Define the term partial pressurepartial pressure is the

pressure exerted by a given gas in a mixture

the symbol for partial pressure is P, and the partial pressure for a gas x is Px. So, PO2 denotes the partial pressure of oxygen

what is the partial pressure of the oxygen in the air around us?

At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is typically about 101.3 kPa of which 21.0% is O2, So, PO2 is given by:

= 21.3 kPa

Atmospheric air is a mixture of gases; nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapour & inert gases.At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is about 101.3 kPa.What proportion of atmospheric pressure is due to oxygen?

Role of haemoglobin

haemoglobin occurs in the red cells

haemoglobin molecule is built of four interlocking subunits

each subunit is composed of a large globular protein with a non-protein haem group attached, containing iron

1 molecule of oxygen will combine with each haem group, meaning, each haemoglobin molecule is able to transport 4 molecules of oxygen:

oxyhaemoglobin is the form in which oxygen is transported from the lungs to the respiring body tissues

at respiring tissue cells, oxyhaemoglobin breaks down, releasing oxygen & haemoglobin

oxygen is used up by tissue cells while haemoglobin is returned to the lungs to pick up more oxygen

the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen is measured experimentally by finding the percentage saturation with oxygen of blood exposed to air mixtures containing different partial pressures of oxygen

the result is called an oxygen dissociation curve

oxygen dissociation curve is S-shaped, the amount of oxygen held by haemoglobin depends on the partial pressure of oxygen

in the body, too, the amount of oxygen held by haemoglobin depends on the partial pressure

in respiring tissues, the oxygen partial pressure is much lower than that in the lungs

at lower partial pressures, oxyhaemoglobin breaks down, releasing oxygen in solution and this rapidly diffuses into the surrounding tissues

Oxygen dissociation curve

Oxygen dissociation curve of adult haemoglobin oxygen dissociation curve for

oxyhaemoglobin is S/sigmoid-shaped it shows how the saturation of

haemoglobin with oxygen varies with partial pressure of oxygen

haemoglobin has an increasing affinity for oxygen, initial uptake of one oxygen molecule by haemoglobin facilitates the further uptake of oxygen molecules

low partial pressure of oxygen corresponds to the situation in the tissue, when partial pressure of oxygen is low, oxygen is released

low pH, increased carbon dioxide & increased lactic acid causes the curve to shifts the to the right and oxygen is more readily released to respiring tissues – this is known as the Bohr effect

high partial pressure of oxygen corresponds to the situation in the lungs, when partial pressure of oxygen is high, oxygen is taken up by haemoglobin

Shift to the right; (decreased affinity) low pH, increased CO2, increased lactic acid

Oxygen dissociation curve of fetal haemoglobin

between foetal & adult haemoglobin, which one has a higher affinity for oxygen?

why it is advantageous that fetal haemoglobin higher affinity for oxygen than adult haemoglobin?

like adult haemoglobin, fetal haemoglobin have S-shaped oxygen dissociation curves

fetal haemoglobin have a high affinity for oxygen at high partial pressure of oxygen

fetal haemoglobin always has a higher affinity for oxygen at corresponding partial pressures of oxygen than adult haemoglobin, thus fetal haemoglobin dissociation curve lies to the left of the adult dissociation curve

in the placenta where maternal and fetal blood come into close proximity there is a low oxygen partial pressure

fetal haemoglobin must have a greater affinity for oxygen otherwise the maternal oxy-haemoglobin would not dissociate

relationship between fetal and adult haemoglobin dissociation curves does NOT change at all partial pressures of oxygen

the difference in adult and fetal haemoglobin structures lead to differences in affinity

Oxygen dissociation curve of myoglobin

myoglobin is a respiratory pigment built of a single haem–globin unit, similar to the four units in haemoglobin

myoglobin is only found in skeletal muscle cells, where it acts as a reserve of oxygen

myoglobin is specialized for oxygen storage

myoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen than haemoglobin, its dissociation curve is to the left of that for haemoglobin

in normal conditions, at rest myoglobin is saturated with oxygen

myoglobin is used during intense muscle contraction when the oxygen supply is insufficient i.e. when muscle is very active its oxygen concentration may fall below 0.5 kPa

when this happens myoglobin releases oxygen to muscle cells

myoglobin oxygen dissociation curve is not sigmoid shaped, it has a steep rise below 5 kPa with no lag & has slower rise approaching 100 % above 5 kPa

Oxygen dissociation curves of adult haemoglobin, fetal haemoglobin and myoglobin

adult haemoglobin: rapid saturation of oxygen in the

lungs rapid dissociation of oxygen as the

oxygen concentration decreases oxygen released in the tissues where

it is needed fetal haemoglobin:

fetal haemoglobin curve to the left of adult haemoglobin

higher affinity for oxygen than adult haemoglobin

oxygen moves from adult haemoglobin to fetal haemoglobin

myoglobin: myoglobin to the left of fetal

haemoglobin higher affinity for oxygen than adult

haemoglobin only releases oxygen at very low

oxygen concentrations in tissues acts as oxygen reserve in muscle cells

How carbon dioxide is carried by the blood carbon dioxide is carried in three

forms in the blood: carbon dioxide can be dissolved in

the blood plasma forming carbonic acid (5 %)

carbon dioxide can be carried as dissociated carbonic acid i.e. H+ + H CO3

− in red blood cells (85 %) carbon dioxide can be carried as

carbaminohemoglobin when it is bound to haemoglobin (10 %)

carbonic anhydrase is an enzyme found in red blood cells (erythrocytes)

carbonic anhydrase speeds up production of hydrogen carbonate (H CO3

−)

chloride shift i.e. movement of chloride ions into red blood cell, occurs to balance movement of hydrogen carbonate ion out

Role of the Bohr shift in the supply of oxygen to respiring tissues

hemoglobin carries up to four oxygen molecules

Bohr shift promotes the release of oxygen in respiring heart muscle

active respiration releases CO2 causing the partial pressure of CO2 increases

release of CO2 increases acidity i.e. lowers the pH due to formation of hydrogen ions (H+)

hydrogen ions bind to hemoglobin decreasing hemoglobin’s affinity for O2 so O2 is released from the oxyhemoglobin

this occurs due allosteric effect i.e. conformational change in hemoglobin which releases O2 more readily

Bohr shift

How and why ventilation rate varies with exercise

during exercise the rate of tissue respiration increases i.e. more carbon dioxide produced

carbon dioxide production in the tissues exceeds the rate of breathing it out

increase in carbonic acid (H2CO3), increase in H+ ions , pH drops in the blood plasma

lactic acid produced during strenuous exercise reduces pH

chemoreceptors, located in the carotid & aortic bodies, detect change in pH, increase in carbon dioxide & decrease in oxygen

Increased CO2 in the blood & lower pH are also detected by chemoreceptors in medulla

nerve impulses sent to the breathing Centre in the medulla of the brain from the chemoreceptors

nerve impulses are then sent to diaphragm & intercostal muscles from the breathing Centre in medulla to increase the rate & the depth of breathing

ventilation rate is controlled through negative feedback mechanism

Possible causes of asthma and its effects on the gas exchange system

asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway

it is caused by allergic reaction to allergens such as; dust, mites droppings, pollen, toxins, pets hairs, fungi etc.

immune responses releases histamine which causes:constriction of muscles of

wall of bronchioles more mucus is produced

these restricts air flow thus ventilation is hard & gas exchange is reduced

Problem of gas exchange at high altitudes

at high altitudes partial pressure of oxygen is lower, at 7000m PO2 is 8.1 kPa

as air is exchanged in lungs hemoglobin does not become fully saturated with O2

oxygen deprivation of tissues occurs causing fatigue i.e. Monge disease

mountain sickness (increased pulse rate, nausea, headaches, sore throat, muscular weakness, dizziness ) may develop

ventilation rate & depth increases

How the body acclimatizes to high altitudes

ventilation rate increasesred blood cell (erythrocyte)

concentration in blood increases

myoglobin concentration in muscles increases

capillary networks in the muscles develop greater density

lung working volume, vital capacity, increases

people living permanently at high altitude develops greater lung surface area

Revision QuestionsDefine the term partial

pressure. [1]

Explain the oxygen dissociation curves of adult haemoglobin, fetal haemoglobin and myoglobin. [6]

Describe how carbon dioxide is carried by the blood. [4]

Explain, with the use of a diagram, the role of the Bohr shift in the supply of oxygen to respiring heart muscle. [6]

Explain the Bohr shift of an oxygen dissociation curve during gas exchange. [6]

Explain why ventilation rate varies with exercise. [6]

Explain how and why ventilation rate varies with exercise. [6]

Outline one possible cause of asthma and its effect on the gas exchange system. [3]

Outline how the body acclimatizes to high altitudes. [3]

Explain the problem of gas exchange at high altitudes and the way the body acclimatizes. [6]

The oxygen dissociation curve is a graph that shows the percentage saturation of haemoglobin at various partial pressures of oxygen. Curve A shows the dissociation at a pH of 7 and curve B shows the dissociation at a different pH.

(i) State the possible cause of the curve shifting from A to B. [1]

(ii) On the graph, draw the curve for myoglobin. [2]

Explain the oxygen dissociation of myoglobin, completing the graph below to support your answer. Po2 is the partial pressure of oxygen.