The Functioning of the Circulatory System.

... The Functioning of the Circulatory System. Haemoglobin picks up oxygen from the lungs where it is abundant and delivers it to where it is needed which is every cell within our bodies especially muscles cells which are respiring to produce enough energy for the muscles to operate. Four-subunit globular oxygen-carrying protein of. There are two alpha and two beta chains in adult humans; the haem group is an iron Fe2+ ion which is responsible for binding to the oxygen. During respiration, CO2 is produced. This diffuses into the blood plasma and into the red blood cells. Inside the red blood cells are many molecules of an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase. It catalyses the reaction between CO2 and H2O. The resulting carbonic acid then dissociates into HCO3- + H+. (Both reactions are reversible) CO2 + H2O H2CO3 carbon dioxide + water carbonic acid H2CO3 HCO3- + H+ Carbonic acid hydrogen carbonate ion hydrogen ion Therefore, the more CO2, the more the dissociation curve shifts

want to read more? →