Question
Question: Oxygen is transported from alveoli to tissue in the form of...
Oxygen is transported from alveoli to tissue in the form of
Solution
The shortest passageway in the respiratory system is the alveoli, which are tiny balloon-shaped structures. The alveoli are very small, allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass through relatively easily between the alveoli and blood vessels known as capillaries.
Complete answer:
The respiratory system begins as we inhale air through our mouth or nose and ends with alveoli. The oxygen-rich air passes via the trachea and into one of the two lungs through the right or left bronchus, respectively. The air is then guided through a series of smaller passages known as bronchioles, past the alveolar duct, and into each individual alveolus.
The shape and surface tension of the air sac is maintained by a fluid coating known as a surfactant that lines the alveoli. By preserving surface tension, more surface space is available for oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules to move through.
At this stage, oxygen molecules diffuse into the bloodstream through a single cell in an alveolus and then a single cell in a capillary. Carbon dioxide ions, a byproduct of cellular respiration, are diffused back into the alveolus and expelled from the body through the nose or mouth at the same time.
Since oxygen is poorly soluble in plasma, only about 2% of it is transported dissolved in plasma. Haemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, binds the bulk of oxygen. Haemoglobin is made up of four iron-containing ring structures (hemes) bound chemically to a large protein (globin). An oxygen molecule will bind to each iron atom and then be released.
Normal human blood contains enough haemoglobin to transport about 0.2 millilitres of oxygen per millilitre of blood. The amount of oxygen bound to haemoglobin is determined by the partial pressure of oxygen in the lungs.
Oxygen is transported from alveoli to tissue in the form of Oxyhaemoglobin.
Note: Alveoli expand during inhalation as the diaphragm contracts, creating a negative pressure in the lung. As the diaphragm relaxes during exhalation, the alveoli recoil (spring back). Diseases of the alveoli can cause a reduction in the amount of oxygen supplied to our body's tissues, which can lead to damage (hypoxia) to any major organ.