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Re: Hemoglobin and CO2
Opinions differ, I guess.
>Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 09:45:11 -0500
>From: "Peter G. Aitken" <peter at pgacon_com>
>
>As I detail in another post, CO2 does NOT bind to hemoglobin.
...
>Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 09:46:24 -0800
>From: Dave Gomberg <gomberg at wcf_com>
>
>At 03:48 AM 1/14/2000 -0500, Sherman wrote:
>>Someone said recently that CO2 was transported out of the system by
>>hemoglobin.
>
>I believe this is bushwa (at least in humans).
...
>From: "Booth, Karla" <BOOTHK at HESKA_com>
>Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 17:18:26 -0700
>
>The comment is wrong because hemoglobin does carry CO2 - that is how
>CO2 is transported from your body, a natural waste from metabolism. Your
>body is always handling CO2 and O2 transport and the amount transported is
>dependent on the concentration of O2, hydrogen ion concentration (pH),
>concentration of 2,3 DPG, and concentration of CO2 at the site. In your
>lungs with high O2 a release of CO2 is favored and O2 is bound - in
>exercising muscles, veins, etc where the concentration of CO2 is high, pH is
>low (and I think 2,3 DPG is high) a release of O2 occurs and CO2 is bound.
>It is a very complicated mechanism - not just a high concentration of one
>gas causes that gas to be bound and carried by hemoglobin.
>
>Carbon monoxide is so dangerous because it is irreversibly bound by
>hemoglobin. Once it binds to Hb, that molecule no longer can transport
>oxygen so with continuing CO input - you die.
Since Karla has a PhD in Biochemistry (among other reasons :-), I'll go
with her statement.
George Booth, Ft. Collins, Colorado (booth at frii_com)
http://www.frii.com/~booth/AquaticConcepts/