EPHE 242 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Hemoglobin, Partial Pressure

• School: University of Victoria
• Department: Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education
• Course: EPHE 242
• Professor: Stuart- Hill Lynneth

Document Summary

Oxygen moves on pressure gradient (high to low) Lungs higher oxygen pressure in alveoli than in rbc. Tissues pressure inside rbc higher than in tissues. Curve tells us relationship between partial pressure of oxygen and percent saturation of hemoglobin. At po2 of 100 we see almost 100% saturation. If po2 drops eg at high altitude, pneumonia (where we get a decrease in the distance of diffusion) Protective mechanism that ensures we can almost fully saturate no matter what. We see a drive of oxygen into tissues from rbcs. Blood that is going by can respond instantly to increase in demand from exercise (does not have to wait for heart rate to increase etc. ) Means we dropped off 80% oxygen that rbcs are carrying. Normally at rest hemoglobin comes back to heart about 70% saturated with oxygen. But we have an instantaneous reaction of blood that is near the tissue. Increase metabolism = increase in unloading capacity of rbcs.