Gaseous exchange

Transport of oxygen
The red blood cells contain haemoglobin, the molecule that transports oxygen. Typically, the human body requires
between 250 cm3 (at rest) and 1000 cm3 (in strenuous exercise) of oxygen per minute. At human
(37 oC) body
temperature, about 0.45 cm3 of oxygen can be dissolved in 100 cm3 of blood plasma, but the total oxygen transporting
facility of blood is about 20 cm3 per 100 cm3. Thus some 98 per cent of oxygen is transported by haemoglobin.
Haemoglobin and oxygen transport
Haemoglobin is a compact molecule made up of four interlocking sub-units. The sub-units consist of four polypeptide
chains called globin (two -chains and two -chains), each attached to a haem group. Haemoglobin therefore has a
quaternary structure. The haem groups comprise a porphyrin ring containing an atom of iron (II) at the centre. The haem
groups in haemoglobin are responsible for its red colour, and are the site of oxygen transport. An iron atom combines with
a molecule of oxygen, but without oxidation of the iron (II). Thus, each haemoglobin molecule can carry four molecules
of O2. Like all respiratory pigments, haemoglobin must bind oxygen reversibly, loading oxygen in the lungs and unloading
it in other parts of the body. Loading and unloading depends on cooperation among the sub-units of the haemoglobin
molecule. The binding of oxygen to one sub-unit induces the remaining sub-units to change their shape slightly so that
their affinity for oxygen increases. And when one sub-unit unloads its oxygen, the other three quickly follow suit as a
conformational change lowers their affinity for oxygen.
The structure of haemoglobin
Haemoglobin is a conjugated protein
The protein part (called globin) consists of four polypeptide chains. These chains are of two types called alpha
and beta. They are about the same length (about 140 amino acids) but have slightly different compositions.
Each chain is combined with a non-protein prosthetic group called haem. Haem consists of an atom of iron
enclosed in a ring structure (porphyrin ring)
Each haem group can combine with one molecule of oxygen. This process is called oxygenation. (It is not the
same as oxidation, because the iron does not lose any electrons and is not chemically oxidised). Each molecule of
haemoglobin can therefore combine with a maximum of four molecules of oxygen.
Oxygen tension (partial pressure)
In a mixture of gases, each component gas exerts a pressure (its partial pressure or tension) in proportion to its
molar percentage in the mixture.
The partial pressure of a gas is the pressure contributed by one gas to the total pressure of a mixture of gases.
The partial pressure of a gas is the pressure exerted by the particular gas in a mixture of gases.
Partial pressures of the components of air
Component gases Percentage composition Partial pressure/kPa Partial pressure/mm Hg
Oxygen
21
21.2
160
Carbon dioxide
0.04
0.04
0.3
Nitrogen
79
80.0
Partial pressure of the components of alveolar air
Components gases Percentage composition Partial pressure/kPa Partial pressure/mm Hg
Oxygen
13.8
14.0
104
Carbon dioxide
5.5
5.6
40
Nitrogen
80.7
Partial pressures of the components in tissue cells
Component gases Percentage composition Partial pressure/kPa Partial pressure/mm Hg
Oxygen
< 5.6
< 40
Carbon dioxide
> 6.3
> 45