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Name: Olaitan
Status: Student
Grade:  Other
Location: Outside U.S.
Country: Nigeria
Date: October 2008
Question:
How is Oxygen from blood hemoglobin released into the cell and directed to where it is needed?


Replies:
It's all due to diffusion, the movement of substances from an area of greater concentration to areas of lesser concentration caused by thermal motion (heat). Oxygen binding to hemoglobin is reversible. When the concentration of Oxygen is low, the Oxygen molecule is released from the hemoglobin molecule and is able to diffuse to areas of lower Oxygen concentration, i.e. inside of cells.

Ron Baker, Ph.D.


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