What is the importance of the physiologic chloride shift in
erythrocytes?

Answer Posted / biology as student - aspiring

The chloride shift is the diffusion of Chloride anions (Cl-)
from blood plasma into cytoplasm of RBCs and occurs to
maintain the electrochemical neutality in RBCs as
bicarbonate anions (HCO3-)diffuse out of cytoplasm of
erythrocytes (RBCs) into the blood plasma.
The bicarbonate anions are the product of the dissociation
of carbonic acid to bicarbonate and hydrogen ions (H2CO3 ->
HCO3- + H+) with the carbonic acid being formed from
reaction between carbon dioxide and water, this reaction
being catalysed by carbonic anhydrase (H20 + CO2 -> H2CO3).
The protons/hydrogen ions (H+) produced from the
dissociation of carbonic acid go on to react with
haemoglobin causing the tetramer to undergo a 3D
conformational change resulting in the release of an oxygen
molecule from each of the 4 haem prosthetic groups per
haemoglobin tetramer (one per polypeptide subunit). These
diffuse into the blood plasma for respiring tissue. (HbO8 +
H+ -> +HHb + 4O2)
It is this sequence of reactions that account for the Bohr
shift seen on oxygen dissociation curves.

I hope this is right as I have an exam in a few weeks!

Is This Answer Correct ?    31 Yes 7 No



Post New Answer       View All Answers


Please Help Members By Posting Answers For Below Questions

You've been given the task of inserting the catheter for a patient scheduled for angioplasty. What anatomical landmarks are you looking for?

1767


What does serous membrane do?

473


Explain the anatomy of a human brain?

519


Human anatomy and physiology

476


What causes contractures?

1591






name the structures passing through juglar foramen.

532


Which hormones are produced by kidneys?

515


A baby is born with spina bifida. Explain what happened or didn't happen developmentally? How might this defect have been prevented?

1516


Which nerve root is associated with the achilles reflexes?

497


Explain the horner's syndrome?

529


Explain the turner's syndrome?

547


How many systems are there in a human body? Name them.

537


What do you mean by homeostatic imbalance?

504


After recuperating from a gunshot wound to the buttocks resulting from a hunting accident, your patient exhibits a positive Trendelenburg's sign. Explain.

1525


What does the psychic phase do?

3045