Question

Studies of oxygen transport in pregnant mammals show that the o2-saturation curves of fetal (hbf) and maternal (hba) hemoglobin are markedly different when measured under the same conditions. which hemoglobin has a higher affinity for o2 at the tissue po2 of around 4 kpa?

Answer 1

The hemoglobin which has the highest affinity for o2 at the tissue po2 of around 4 kpa is the one with a higher percentage. The higher affinity of HbF allows oxygen to flow from mother to baby. fetal blood reaches saturation when the O₂ affinity of HbA is low.