Question

What is/ are the factor/ factors that affect the transportation of oxygen within the body?

• A. Partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide
• B. Temperature
• C. Hydrogen ion concentration
• D. All the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D All the above

RBC is a red blood cell which contains haemoglobin, an iron containing pigment. Each haemoglobin has 4 globins and 4 heme groups. Each heme group contains iron pigments in it. Oxygen and carbon dioxide bind to haemoglobin in a reversible manner and when it binds it is called oxyhemoglobin and carbaminohemoglobin respectively. Iron helps in the binding of gases with RBC.
Multiple factors that affect the transportation of oxygen within the body are-
1. Partial pressure of oxygen and $C{O}_2$.
2. Hydrogen ion concentration
3. Temperature
$\begin{array}{ccc}\text{Factors}& \text{Alveoli}& \text{Tissues}\\ p{O}_2& \text{high}& \text{low}\\ pC{O}_2& \text{low}& \text{high}\\ \text{H+concentration}& \text{low}& \text{high}\\ \text{Temperature}& \text{low}& \text{high}\end{array}$
In the alveoli, there is high $p{O}_2$ ,low $pC{O}_2$, lesser H+ concentration and lower temperature. These factors are all favourable for the formation of oxyhaemoglobin whereas in the tissues, where low $p{O}_2$, high $pC{O}_2$, high H+ concentration and higher temperature exist. These conditions are favourable for dissociation of oxygen from the oxyhaemoglobin. This clearly indicates that $O_2$ gets bound to haemoglobin in the lung surface and gets dissociated at the tissues.
Among these the most important factor that determines how much $O_2$ binds to hemoglobin is the $p{O}_2$. The higher the $p{O}_2$, the more $O_2$ combines with Hb.