In: Anatomy and Physiology
How does tissue activity level (e.g., exercise) influence O2 unloading?
Oxygen can competitively and reversibly binds to hemoglobin and its affinity can be influenced by various environmental factors. The affinity of hemoglobin towards oxygen can be best explained by the Bohr effect states that decrease in pH and increases in the partial pressure of CO2 decreases the hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen. Increased physical activity such as exercise increases CO2 production asmetabolic waste by incresing the metabolic activity. This ncrease in tissue PCO2 results in increase in hydrogen ion (H+) concentration indicated by decreased pH called axidosis which leads to decreased affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen and further cause dissociation of oxygen in tissues indicated by rightward shift of the hemoglobin dissociation curve, as hemoglobin unloads oxygen from its binding sites at higher partial pressures of oxygen.