Introduction
Haemoglobin is a protein molecule in the red blood cell rich in iron. The major function of haemoglobin is to transport oxygen (O2) from the lungs. The haemoglobin and oxygen combination is called oxyhaemoglobin, Haemoglobin that has released oxygen is called reduced haemoglobin or deoxyhaemoglobin which has a high affinity for co2 (Marieb, 2014).for this reason oxygen is bind to the oxyhaemoglobin in the lungs and carried through the blood stream to the tissues. Oxygen is then released to myoglobin (a red protein containing haem that carries and stores oxygen in muscle cells) which is further transported in to the mitochondria be used for aerobic respiration, in exchange the deoxyhemoglobin picks up 2 protons and 2 molecules and returns to the lungs where it is released through exhalation. (McDowall, 2005)
Structure of haemoglobin is composed of four polypeptides, two identical chains called the alpha -polypeptide chains consisting of 141 amino acids each and beta-polypeptide chains containing 146 amino acids each. Alpha and Beta each contain 8 helical segments. There are four globin chains each composed of four heme groups attached to each of the four histidines. that combines with four molecules of oxygen (see figure 1). When an iron atom is bonded to oxygen, haemoglobin changes colour from purplish pink to bright red (oxyhaemoglobin) and when deoxygenate is changes to blue. (Toole, 2004)
Discussion
Haemoglobin is essential for the human body because
“Erythrocytes contain haemoglobin, an important respiratory pigment that is essential for human life” (Strech, Beryl; Whitehouse, Mary;, 2010) Haemoglobin is very important because it is an iron-containing protein.
Once the oxygen-depleted cells are in the lungs, they travel into the alveoli where they lose their CO2 and trade it for oxygen. The oxygen is able to stay with the red blood cells because the cell have hemoglobin which is a protein which binds with oxygen.
11. Small insects may take a bubble of air underwater when they dive. The bubble can serve as an air tank for some time because
Catabolism is the set of metabolic pathways that breaks down molecules into smaller units to release energy. In catabolism, large molecules such as lipids, nucleic acids and proteins are broken down into smaller units such as fatty acids and amino acids. When food is broken down energy is released as the foods molecules’ bonds are broken. Then this energy is used to reform the bonds that have been broken so that ATP can be recreated. More energy can be obtained when oxygen is present and the process proceeds on aerobically. The aerobic production of ATP occurs inside the mitochondria in cells. The broken down food molecules then enters the blood stream. Blood is a liquid connective tissue as it is made up of red and white living cells. Oxygen is transported in the red blood cells which are attached to a protein called haemoglobin. Nutrients including glucose are dissolved in the plasma. Plasma is a mixture of water, sugar, fat, proteins and salts. The main function of the plasma is to transport blood cells throughout your body along with nutrients, waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins and chemical messengers such as hormones that help maintain the body’s fluid balance. The red blood cells also carry iron which attracts oxygen. Our cells use oxygen to make energy. Iron is also needed to keep the immune system healthy and help brain cells. Without your heart, blood vessels and blood you wouldn’t be able to get the
Oxygen is used for cell respiration which is created and found in the mitochondria. The mitochondria need oxygen to make glucose for the body cells and to create carbon dioxide. Glucose is used in the liver to regulate the body’s sugar levels. Carbon dioxide is then added to water and then to energy for cell respiration and for the body systems and organs to be able to work.
Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic state where the rate of the reverse reaction is equal to the rate of the forward reaction. The chemical reaction is still occurring however the rate of reverse reaction is matching the rate of forward reaction hence the concentration of reactants (〖Hb〗_((aq) ) + O_(2 (g))) and products (HbO_2) no longer change, resulting in an equilibrium. (b) Which direction will equilibrium shift if the O_(2 ) concentration is increased?
Iron is used in metabolical functions, in red-blood cells to carry oxygen, and in enzymes, to speed up reaction rates. One molecule that contains iron is hemoglobin, found in red-blood cells.
Hemoglobin is a globular protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues and carbon dioxide to the lung for release. This protein expresses cooperative binding, which makes it ideal for gaseous transport throughout the body. Another protein, myoglobin, has a higher affinity for oxygen in comparison to hemoglobin and is located at the tissues to accept the oxygen from hemoglobin. The kidney hormone erythropoietin (EPO) is the primary regulator of erythropoiesis, which is the production of red blood cells. The body increases the production of this hormone in response to low oxygen conditions to increase the number of oxygen carriers in the blood.
As the concentration of hemoglobin in the Red Blood Cells falls below normal, the total Red Blood Cell count consequently decreases. Therefore, oxygen cannot be adequately carried. (http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/pted/htm/iron.htm).
the cells of the body receive oxygen and transport it around the body and expel the CO2.
Oxygen is required by the cells to carry out respiration, this provides the energy in the form of adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) which is a molecule required for muscular contraction. As exercise takes place, oxygen is used
- The developing fetus does not breath by drawing in air into its lungs like an adult does. Instead, the fetus draws its oxygen from the mother’s blood where the oxygen content is low. The hemoglobin in adults consist of two alpha and two beta subunits. Fetal hemoglobin consists of two alpha and two gamma subunits. This allows hemoglobin to bind oxygen with higher affinity compared to adult hemoglobin, allowing the extraction of oxygen from maternal circulation. It Is important in fetal development because fetal hemoglobin is the main oxygen transport protein during the last stages of development.
Haemoglobins are formed when four Globin molecules link together.
These cells' cytoplasm is rich in hemoglobin, an iron-containing biomolecule that can bind oxygen and is responsible for the blood's red color.
Investigating haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in blood samples using the haemoglobincyanide method and in foetal haemoglobin samples