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I came across this passage in my text book, it says:
"Hemoglobin is an important buffer. It has 6 times more buffering power than plasma proteins. Therefore, it can buffer H+ inside RBCs (They are formed during CO2 Transport) and can carry CO2 with minimal change in pH. Hemoglobin carrying CO2 (deoxyHb) is a stronger buffer than hemoglobin carrying O2, since deoxyHb dissociates less (i.e. it forms a weaker acid = a stronger buffer)."
I can't say that I got the above passage. I asked myself these questions:
1. How does deoxyHb dissociate? And why it dissociates less than oxyHb?
2. How does deoxyHb forms a weak acid and hence oxyHb forms a stronger acid?
3. What is the relation between the strength of acid and the acid formed and the buffering power?
I tried googling to find answers to these question, but I didn't find simple answers. So please help me!
"Hemoglobin is an important buffer. It has 6 times more buffering power than plasma proteins. Therefore, it can buffer H+ inside RBCs (They are formed during CO2 Transport) and can carry CO2 with minimal change in pH. Hemoglobin carrying CO2 (deoxyHb) is a stronger buffer than hemoglobin carrying O2, since deoxyHb dissociates less (i.e. it forms a weaker acid = a stronger buffer)."
I can't say that I got the above passage. I asked myself these questions:
1. How does deoxyHb dissociate? And why it dissociates less than oxyHb?
2. How does deoxyHb forms a weak acid and hence oxyHb forms a stronger acid?
3. What is the relation between the strength of acid and the acid formed and the buffering power?
I tried googling to find answers to these question, but I didn't find simple answers. So please help me!