Gas Transport by the Blood

Salah Zeineldine, MD FACP

Assistant Professor of Medicine
O2
Oxygen Transport
Dissolved
Dependent on oxygen partial pressure
0.003 ml/mmHg/100 ml of blood
3 ml of O2 in 1 liter of blood at PaO2 of 100 mmHg
Tissues may need 3000 ml of O2 per min
Bound (O2 Capacity)
One gram of Hgb bounds to 1.39 ml of O2
Hgb of 15 gm/100 ml: 20.8 ml/100 ml of blood
Oxygen Saturation refers exclusively to the extent of
O2 binding to the Hgb

One gram of pure hemoglobin combines with 1.39 ml of O2
The O2 capacity = 20.8 ml O2/100 ml of blood (Hb=15)
Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve
O2 Saturation of Hemoglobin
O2 saturation is the percentage of the
available sites that have oxygen attached

O2 combined with Hb
O2 capacity
X 100
Oxygen Concentration of Blood
(1.39 x Hb x Sat/100) + 0.003 PO2
Hb Levels and CO
CO: Affinity and Displacement
Influencing Factors
40
70
P
50
27
Flat end
Steep end
Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve
CO2
CO 2 Transport
Dissolved
Much more soluble than O2 (20x)
10% of CO2 blood content occurs in this form
Bicarbonate
CO2 + H2O H2CO3 H
+
+ HCO3
-

Carbamino compounds
CA
CO2 Content
O2 & CO2 in Systemic Capillaries
O2 & CO2 in Systemic Capillaries
CO2 Dissociation Curve: Steeper
Difference between Aterial and Venous Partial Pressures
Blood-Tissue
Gas Exchange
Blood-Tissue Gas Exchange
Blood-Gas Barrier < 0.5 m
Muscle-Open Capillaries = 50 m
Capillaries open up during exercise
In-vitro Mitochondria use up O2 at 3 mmHg
Anaerobic Glycolytic Metabolism start beyond
the Critical Situation (Producing Lactic Acid)
Gas Flows
Gas Flows
Basics of Flows
Resistance to flow
R = P / V (Laminar Flow)
Velocity Profile in Laminar Flow
The flow pattern for specific pressures depends
on:
Tubes characteristics (radius, length & geometry)
Gas properties (viscosity & density)
Gas linear velocity
.
Laminar Flow (Poiseuilles)
P = K x V
R = P/V = 8nl/r
4
r: radius l: length n: viscosity
Reynolds Number
Re = 2 rvd/n
d: density v: average velocity r: radius n: viscosity
Turbulent Flow
P = K x V
2

Re > 2000 Flow Turbulent
50 < Re < 2000 Flow Transitional
Re = 1 in Terminal Bronchioles
(Flow is laminar)
Flow Patterns in Respiratory
System
Fully turbulent
Upper airways trachea down to the 4
th

generation (central airway)
Steady laminar
From the 12
th
generation on
Airway Resistance
Lower Airway Resistance
Major resistive portion in the central large
bronchi (first 4-6 generation)
Airway less than 2 mm contribute little to
resistance
Housekeeping Remarks
Additional Reference:
Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials
Questions in the Exam
Thank You