Metabolism Bohr effect

Another, and more acute, trigger to the release of oxygen from haemoglobin is the pH of the blood surrounding the red cell. Protons arising from metabolic activity of tissues cause a right-shift in the position of the ODC and oxygen is released when the pH falls. This phenomenon is called the Bohr effect. 

Phosphate ions are constituent parts of two universally found biopolymers, DNA and RNA. Phosphate ion is found in membrane lipids (phospholipids) and associated with the metabolism of many small molecules. The binding of dioxygen by hemoglobin is regulated by local concentrations of H+ (known as the Bohr effect), CO2 concentration, and organic phosphates such as diphos-phoglycerate (DPG), whose structure is shown in Figure 5.1. ... 

O2 binding to Hb is regulated by H" ions (i.e., by the pH value) via the same mechanism. High concentrations of CO2 such as those in tissues with intensive metabolism locally increase the H" concentration and thereby reduce hemoglobin s O2 af nity (Bohr effect see above). This leads to increased O2 release and thus to an improved oxygen supply. 

Carbon dioxide (C02) and hydrogen ions (H+) both have negative effects on oxygen binding also. These effects are closely related and together are known as the Bohr effect. A substantial amount of C02 generated by decarboxylation reactions of intermediary metabolism diffuses from cells through interstitial fluid into the blood plasma, with... 

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