TRANSPORT OF O2 AND CO2

RONDANG SOEGIANTO

2009

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Oxygen delivered from lungs to tissues

Roles:
- ATP biosynthesis
Via Respiratory Chain

- Metabolic processes
Hydroxylation by oxygenase

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Generation of CO2 by decarboxylation
Ex: Pyruvate Acetyl-CoA + CO2
Utilization of CO2:
1. Carboxylation process
- Pyruvate Oxaloacetate
- Purine biosynthesis
Enzyme: Carboxylase
Coenzyme: Biotin
2. CO2 diffuses to enter blood circulation
Will be exhaled
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Involved with gas transport system:

- Erythrocytes
- Hemoglobin synthesis
- Iron biochemistry
- Formation of Hb

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ERYTHROCYTES

- Body produces ~160 million/min

- Lifespan ~ 110 days
- Biconcave (larger surface than
spherical shape)
- No nucleus
- Produced in bone marrow of flat bones

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Erythropoietin
- Produced by kidney medulla
- Stimulates erythrocyte production
- When O2 is low hormone >>
More erythrocytes produced

No mitochondria in RBC
Energy produced via glycolysis lactate

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HEME SYNTHESIS

Precursors: - Glycine
- Succinyl-CoA

Enzyme: Aminolevulinic acid synthase

(ALA synthase)

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IRON BIOCHEMISTRY

Fe is transported in blood as protein

complex = TRANSFERRIN

Transferrin produced in liver

Taken up by receptor-mediated endocytosis
Transferrin receptors in RBC >> as the
cell develops

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Iron is stored in RBC as FERRITIN =
Apoferritin (protein) + Fe (inorganic)

RBC destroyed mainly by RETICULO-

ENDOTHELIAL CELLS:
spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver

Fe reused biliverdin bilirubin

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TRANSPORT OF GASES IN BLOOD

Very low solubility of O2 and CO2

hence carrier is needed

Oxygen carrier: Heme-Protein complex

= Hemoglobin

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Fe2+ but not Fe3+ can bind to oxygen.

Inorganic Fe2+ rapidly oxidized to Fe3+

Not good for oxygen transport

Fe2+ in heme also rapidly oxidized by

oxygen to Fe3+ Hematin

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Free heme cannot function as O2 carrier
Heme has to bind with protein = Globin

Fe in the heme of hemoglobin is more

resistant to oxidation

Hemoglobin is a tetramer:
4 protein subunits with heme attached
A molecule of Hb binds 4 molecules O2

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Saturation curve of Hb is sigmoid

Saturation curve of myoglobin is

hyperbolic

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Role of 2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG)

1,3 BPG produced in glycolytic pathway

is converted to 2,3 BPG by bisphospho-
glyceromutase

2,3 BPG lowers affinity of Hb for O2

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Bohr Effect

Deoxygenated Hb has higher affinity for

oxygen than oxyHb

Proton dissociates from oxygenated Hb

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CO2 TRANSPORT

CO2 produced in tissues must be

transported to the lungs

CO2 enters RBC H2CO3 by enzyme:

carbonic anhydrase

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H2CO3 H+ + HCO3-

Bicarbonate ion moves out of RBC via

ion channel (Band 3) in exchange for Cl-
(anion channel)

The soluble bicarbonate is transported by

serum of venous blood to the lungs.

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Process in lungs to expel CO2 is the reverse
from uptake of CO2 in tissue cells.

Bicarbonate enters alveoli H2CO3

H2O + CO2 by carbonic anhydrase

CO2 diffuses out of cell.

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Buffering action

Acid is produced in tissues but pH

of red blood cells must be maintained

Physiological pH is maintained by
buffering power of bicarbonate,
phosphates and hemoglobin.
Bohr effect also buffers.

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