What is the importance of the physiologic chloride shift in
erythrocytes?
- 3 Answers
- 23623 Views
- I also Faced
- E-Mail Answers
Answer Posted / biology as student - aspiring
The chloride shift is the diffusion of Chloride anions (Cl-)
from blood plasma into cytoplasm of RBCs and occurs to
maintain the electrochemical neutality in RBCs as
bicarbonate anions (HCO3-)diffuse out of cytoplasm of
erythrocytes (RBCs) into the blood plasma.
The bicarbonate anions are the product of the dissociation
of carbonic acid to bicarbonate and hydrogen ions (H2CO3 ->
HCO3- + H+) with the carbonic acid being formed from
reaction between carbon dioxide and water, this reaction
being catalysed by carbonic anhydrase (H20 + CO2 -> H2CO3).
The protons/hydrogen ions (H+) produced from the
dissociation of carbonic acid go on to react with
haemoglobin causing the tetramer to undergo a 3D
conformational change resulting in the release of an oxygen
molecule from each of the 4 haem prosthetic groups per
haemoglobin tetramer (one per polypeptide subunit). These
diffuse into the blood plasma for respiring tissue. (HbO8 +
H+ -> +HHb + 4O2)
It is this sequence of reactions that account for the Bohr
shift seen on oxygen dissociation curves.
I hope this is right as I have an exam in a few weeks!
| Is This Answer Correct ? | 31 Yes | 7 No |
Post New Answer View All Answers
What causes contractures?
What do you mean by homeostatic imbalance?
A baby is born with spina bifida. Explain what happened or didn't happen developmentally? How might this defect have been prevented?
After recuperating from a gunshot wound to the buttocks resulting from a hunting accident, your patient exhibits a positive Trendelenburg's sign. Explain.
Explain the brown-sequard syndrome?
name the structures passing through juglar foramen.
Explain the horner's syndrome?
Which hormones are produced by kidneys?
Which nerve root is associated with the triceps reflexes?
Explain the turner's syndrome?
Human anatomy and physiology
What is a structure consisting of 2 or 3 tissues called as?
Which nerve root is associated with the platella reflexes?
How many systems are there in a human body? Name them.
Which processes require injection of radio isotopes in the body?
