Hemoglobin-Oxygen Dissociation Curve
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Biology 2: Physiology
Summary
The Hemoglobin-Oxygen Dissociation Curve and the Bohr effect are crucial concepts for understanding how oxygen is transported and released to tissues in the body, which are heavily tested on the MCAT.
- Hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen varies along the sigmoidal-shaped dissociation curve, influenced by cooperativity.
- Physiological conditions can shift the curve right (indicating decreased oxygen affinity) or left (indicating increased oxygen affinity), affecting oxygen release or uptake.
- Right shift conditions include increased temperature, PCO2, hydrogen ion concentration (decreased pH), and levels of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, often occurring during exercise.
- Left shift conditions are the opposite, including decreased temperature, PCO2, hydrogen ion concentration, and 2,3-BPG levels, beneficial in scenarios like fetal oxygen uptake.
- The Bohr effect explains how increased CO2 levels (and thus decreased pH) in the blood lead to a right shift in the curve, facilitating oxygen unloading to tissues.
Chapters
00:01
Introduction to Hemoglobin-Oxygen Dissociation Curve
00:42
Physiological Influences on Oxygen Transport
01:33
Right and Left Shifts of the Dissociation Curve
06:50
The Bohr Effect and Its Implications