Define
oxygen dissociation curve. Can you suggest any reason for its
sigmoidal pattern?
Define oxygen dissociation curve. Can you suggest any reason for its sigmoidal pattern?
The oxygen
dissociation curve is a graph showing the percentage saturation of
oxyhaemoglobin at various partial pressures of oxygen.
The curve
shows the equilibrium of oxyhaemoglobin and haemoglobin at various
partial pressures.
In the
lungs, the partial pressure of oxygen is high. Hence, haemoglobin
binds to oxygen and forms oxyhaemoglobin.
Tissues
have a low oxygen concentration. Therefore, at the tissues,
oxyhaemoglobin releases oxygen to form haemoglobin.
The
sigmoid shape of the dissociation curve is because of the binding of
oxygen to haemoglobin. As the first oxygen molecule binds to
haemoglobin, it increases the affinity for the second molecule of
oxygen to bind. Subsequently, haemoglobin attracts more oxygen.
The oxygen dissociation curve is a graph showing the percentage saturation of oxyhaemoglobin at various partial pressures of oxygen.
The curve shows the equilibrium of oxyhaemoglobin and haemoglobin at various partial pressures.
In the lungs, the partial pressure of oxygen is high. Hence, haemoglobin binds to oxygen and forms oxyhaemoglobin.
Tissues have a low oxygen concentration. Therefore, at the tissues, oxyhaemoglobin releases oxygen to form haemoglobin.
The sigmoid shape of the dissociation curve is because of the binding of oxygen to haemoglobin. As the first oxygen molecule binds to haemoglobin, it increases the affinity for the second molecule of oxygen to bind. Subsequently, haemoglobin attracts more oxygen.
