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Chapter 7: Q7CP (page 200)

What is the physiological relevance of the Bohr effect and BPG?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The Bohr effect and BPG are important in binding O2 with hemoglobin and releasing O2 from hemoglobin.

Step by step solution

01

The Bohr effect

The Bohr effect states that when CO2 is present, hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen decreases. Due to its higher affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen, CO2 displaces oxygen from the heme when levels rise. Since the tissues contain a lot of CO2, the oxygen released to the tissues is enhanced.

02

BPG

BPG is a compound that binds to deoxyhemoglobin tightly but to oxyhemoglobin very weakly.2, 3 BPG shifts the equilibrium towards the T-state because it binds to the deoxyhemoglobin's central cavity, thus decreasing hemoglobin's oxygen affinity.

In the absence of BPG, very little oxygen is released since hemoglobin's O2-binding affinity is very high. In the presence of BPG, hemoglobin releases its bound O2 effectively.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

In humans, the urge to breathe results from high concentrations of CO2 in the blood; there are no direct physiological sensors of blood pO2. Skin divers often hyperventilate (breath rapidly and deeply for several minutes) just before making a dive in the belief that this will increase the O2 content of their blood. (a) Does it do so? (b) Use your knowledge of hemoglobin function to evaluate whether this practice is useful.

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