Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Description - Essay Example Hemoglobin, found in the red blood cells has the primary function of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and then transporting CO2 from the tissues back to the lungs. Deoxyhemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that has a higher affinity form CO2. CO2 to hemoglobin and forms carbaminohemoglobin molecule. The process is reversible thus when it reaches the lungs, the CO2 dissociates freely from the hemoglobin and expelled from the body. This mechanism accounts for about ten percent of the CO2. CO2 diffuses into red blood cells where Carbonic anhydrase in the RBC quickly converts the CO2 into carbonic acid that is an unstable molecule.CA dissociates fast into bicarbonates ions and hydrogen ions which bind to hemoglobin. The bicarbonate ions formed is transported out of the RBC into the blood liquid component in exchange for a chloride ion. Upon the blood reaching the lungs, the bicarbonate ion is transported back into the RBC in exchange for chloride ion. The hydrogen ions dissociate from the hemoglobin and binds to the bicarbonate ion, producing carbonic acid, that through the enzymatic action of CA is converted back into CO2. The CO2 produced is expelled through exhalation by the