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Questions and Answers
What is the role of chloride shift in red blood cells?
What is the role of chloride shift in red blood cells?
To prevent the cytoplasm from becoming positively charged
How is hydrogen carbonate formed in red blood cells?
How is hydrogen carbonate formed in red blood cells?
carbonic acid dissociating in water to form hydrogen ions and hydrogen carbonate ions
What happens when carbonic acid dissociates in water?
What happens when carbonic acid dissociates in water?
It produces hydrogen ions (H+) and hydrogen carbonate ions (HCO3-).
Why does haemoglobin bind to hydrogen ions?
Why does haemoglobin bind to hydrogen ions?
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What happens to haemoglobin when it binds with hydrogen ions?
What happens to haemoglobin when it binds with hydrogen ions?
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Explain the purpose of the ion exchange proteins in red blood cells.
Explain the purpose of the ion exchange proteins in red blood cells.
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How does chloride shift contribute to the overall function of red blood cells?
How does chloride shift contribute to the overall function of red blood cells?
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Study Notes
Chloride Shift and Hydrogen Carbonate Formation
- Chloride ions enter the red blood cell cytoplasm through an ion exchange protein, replacing hydrogen carbonate ions that leave the cytoplasm.
- Hydrogen carbonate ions are formed when carbon dioxide from tissue cells dissolves in water and reacts with carbonic anhydrase, a catalyst, to produce carbonic acid.
- Carbonic acid dissociates in water, producing hydrogen ions (H+) and hydrogen carbonate ions (HCO3-).
- Hydrogen ions in the cytoplasm can cause acidic conditions, which are harmful.
- Haemoglobin has a high affinity for binding with hydrogen ions, and when it binds, it turns into haemoglobinic acid.
- Hydrogen carbonate ions leave the cytoplasm through an ion exchange protein, and chloride ions enter the cytoplasm to maintain electrical neutrality and prevent positive charging.
- This process is called the chloride shift, which helps to regulate the acidity of the red blood cell cytoplasm.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the process of chloride shift where chloride enters red blood cells as hydrogen carbonate ions leave, and the formation of hydrogen carbonate through the conversion of carbon dioxide in red blood cells. Understand the roles of ion exchange proteins and carbonic anhydrase in these processes.
