Describe How Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide are Transported in Mammalian Body-Biology Essay Questions

Transport of oxygen in mammalian body.

1. Oxygen in alveoli diffuses into capillaries of lungs;
2. In capillaries it enters Red Blood Cells and combines with haemoglobin to form oxyhaemoglobin / (0₂ + haemoglobin  =   oxyhaemoglobin;
3. Oxyhaemoglobin is transported from lungs to capillaries through Pulmonary Vein  heart and into body tissues;
4. It dissociates readily, (oxhaemoglobin); in body tissues; to oxygen due to low oxygen concentratoon in the tissues;
5. oxygen diffuses from Red Blood Cells to body tissues and is used for respiration;  10 mks.

Transport of Carbon dioxide in the body.

1. Carbon dioxide diffuses from respiring body tissues to blood
2. It enters the Red Blood Cells and some enters plasma.
3. In Red Blood Cells it combines with water to form weak carbonic acid (H₂O  +  CO₂           H₂CO₃)
4. The acid dissociates to H⁺ bicarbonates. (H₂CO₃         H⁺   x  CO₃^–)
5. Dissociation is accelerated by carbonic anhydrate enzyme (that loads and unload the CO₂);
6. The presence of low CO₂ concentrtion in lungs causes CO₃ low in Red Blood Cells and plasma to dissociate ; and releases CO₂;