transporting co2 in the blood

bohr effect

• high pco2 causes hb to disscoiate from o2 more readily

• in presence of co2, the dissociation curve shifts to the right

why is the bohr effect useful

• during exercise, more co2 will be released

• the increase in co2 results in greater dissociation of o2 from hb

• more o2 will be delivered to tissues where it is needed most ie those that are working hardest

how is co2 transported in the blood

• co2 carried in RBC (carbaminohaemoglobin) 10%

• Hco3- hydrogen carbonate ions dissolved in blood plasma

• co2 dissolved in plasma 5%

1st transport of co2

• co2 reacts with water to from carbon acid

• h2co3

• in the cytoplasm of RBC’s there are high levels of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase which speeds up the process

2nd part of transport of co2

• carbonic acid then dissociates

• h2co3- h+ and hco3- (haemoglobinic acid hhb)

• hco3- diffuses out of RBC;s and dissolves in the plasma

3rd part of transport of co2

to balance out the charges cl- moves into rbc’s= chloride shift