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The Bohr effect

The Bohr effect


Learning outcome:
To describe and explain the effects of raised
carbon dioxide concentrations on the
haemoglobin dissociation curve.
To learn how carbon dioxide is transported in
blood.

What determines the loading


and unloading of oxygen by
haemoglobin?
The amount of oxygen that
haemoglobin carries is affected
by:

1)
2)

High
pC02

The partial pressure of oxygen


and
The partial pressure of carbon
dioxide

The presence of a high partial pressure of carbon dioxide


causes haemoglobin to release oxygen.

This is called the Bohr effect

Haemoglobin
releases
oxygen

The Bohr effect


During respiration, CO2 is produced.
This diffuses into the blood plasma
and into the red blood cells.

1.

Inside the red blood cells are many


molecules of an enzyme called
carbonic anhydrase *.
CO2
It catalyses the reaction between
CO2 and H2O.

2.

3.

CO2
carbon
dioxide

4.

Red cell

H2O

water

The resulting carbonic acid then


dissociates into HCO3- + H+.
(Both reactions are reversible).

plasma

H2O

H2CO3

HCO3- + H+.

H2CO3
carbonic
acid

HCO3-

The Bohr effect (continued)


5.

6.

7.

Haemoglobin very readily combines with


hydrogen ions forming haemoglobinic acid.
As a consequence haemoglobin releases
some of the oxygen it is carrying.
By removing hydrogen ions from the
solution, haemoglobin helps to maintain the
pH of the blood close to neutral. It is acting
as a buffer.

The Bohr effect


Three Oxygen Dissociation
curves illustrating the Bohr
Effect.
Increased carbon dioxide in
the blood causes a right-shift
in the curves, such that the
haemoglobin more easily
unloads the oxygen it is
carrying.

Why is the Bohr effect


useful?

High concentrations of carbon dioxide are


found in actively respiring tissues, which
need oxygen. Due to the Bohr effect, these
high carbon dioxide concentrations cause
haemoglobin to release its oxygen even more
readily than it would do otherwise.

How is carbon dioxide


transported?

Carbon dioxide is mostly carried as


hydrogencarbonate ions in blood
plasma, but also in combination with
haemoglobin in red blood cells
(carbamino-haemoglobin) and
dissolved as carbon dioxide molecules
in blood plasma.

Carbon dioxide
transport About 5% of the CO
2

produced simply dissolves in


the blood plasma.

About 85% of the CO2 produced by


respiration diffuses into the red blood cells
and forms carbonic acid under the control
of carbonic anhydrase.
The carbonic acid dissociates to produce
hydrogencarbonate ions (HCO3-)
The HCO3- diffuses out of the red blood
cell into the plasma

Some CO2 diffuses into the red


blood cells but instead of forming
carbonic acid, attaches directly onto
the haemoglobin molecules to form
carbaminohaemoglobin.
Since the CO2 doesnt bind to the
haem groups the Haemoglobin is
still able to pick up O2.

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