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The oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve (ODC) illustrates the relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen (Po2) and the saturation of hemoglobin (Hb) with oxygen. This curve is essential for understanding how oxygen is transported in the blood and delivered to tissues.
A rightward shift in the ODC indicates a decrease in hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen, facilitating oxygen unloading to tissues.
A leftward shift indicates an increase in hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen, making it more difficult for oxygen to be unloaded.
Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is composed of two alpha and two gamma subunits. It has a higher affinity for oxygen than adult hemoglobin due to reduced affinity for 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG). This results in a leftward shift of the dissociation curve, facilitating the transfer of oxygen from mother to fetus across the placenta.
Factor | Left Shift (↑ Hb Affinity) | Right Shift (↓ Hb Affinity) |
---|---|---|
pH | Increased (alkalosis) | Decreased (acidosis) |
PCO2 | Decreased | Increased |
2,3-BPG | Decreased | Increased |
Temperature | Decreased | Increased |
Carbon Monoxide | Increased | N/A |
Methemoglobin | Increased | N/A |
Fetal Hemoglobin | Higher affinity for O2 | N/A |
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