Oxygen Transport Flashcards
When would the symptoms of beta thalassemia be shown and why
After birth
Foetus’s would not have beta sub units so cannot show the symptoms
What are the subunits in adult and fetal haemoglobin
Adult: 2 alpha and 2 beta
Foetus: 2 alpha and 2 gamma
What happens in the T state
Low affinity
Large attraction and interaction between the subunits
Would not have oxygen able to bind and haemoglobin have the confirmational change in shape e
What happens in the R state
High affinity
There would be low attraction and interaction between the subunits
Oxygen can bind and there can be a confirmational shape change
What causes Alpha thalassemia
Absent or low number of alpha chains
The beta chains then cannot form the stable alpha-beta dimers
Cannot have the stable tetramers
What cause beta thalassemia
Absence of low number of the beta chains
Alpha chains cannot form the alpha-beta dimers
Would have the unstable tetramers
How can you treat carbon monoxide poisoning
Hyperbaric treatment
Decreases the half life to 23 minutes
Allows dissociation of the CO from the haem group
Would also allow oxygen to enter the tissues by diffusion
Oxygen would then be able to bypass the circulatory system
What is 2,3-BPG and what does it do
2,3-bisphosphoglycerate
Attaches to haemoglobin
Would lower its affinity by pushing it into the T state
Oxygen then not able to bind
Would help with oxygen regulation
What is myoglobin mainly for
Storage of oxygen
What is the shape of the myoglobin curve
Hyperbolic
What ion does oxygen bind to
Fe2+
Iron would be surrounded by nitrogen atoms also
What is important about haemoglobin in the blood
It’s an important blood buffer
Deoxyhemoglobin would have a higher affinity for the H+ then the oxyhemoglobin
PH would change when CO2 would enter the cell
BOHR EFFECT
