Question

What is the effect of pCO₂ on oxygen transport?

Answer 1

• pCO₂ plays an important role in the transportation of oxygen. At the alveolus, the low pCO₂ and high pO₂ favour the formation of haemoglobin.
• At the tissues, high pCO₂ and low pO₂ favour the dissociation of oxygen from haemoglobin. Hence, the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen is enhanced by the decrease of pCO₂ in the blood.
• Therefore, oxygen is transported in blood as oxyhaemoglobin and oxygen dissociates from it at the tissues.