Question
Question: What is the chemical control of respiration?...
What is the chemical control of respiration?
Solution
In a physiological approach, respiration is defined as the movement of oxygen from the outside environment into the cells in the tissues, followed by the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction. Respiration is a metabolic process in which an organism obtains energy by oxidising nutrients and subsequently releasing waste products, according to the biochemical definition.
Complete answer:
The concentrations of CO2 and H+ regulate respiration. Chemoreceptors in the medulla region of the brain, which are connected with the aortic arch and carotid artery, are very sensitive to CO2 and H+ concentrations and transmit signals to the respiratory rhythm centre for making appropriate modifications and implementing remedial steps.
Hydrogen ions and carbon dioxide gas are both responsive to these receptors. The concentration or partial pressure of the two substances above regulates respiration. This centre is activated when the concentration of hydrogen ions or the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises.
Additional information:
Enzymes are proteins that modify or catalyse the rate of chemical reactions without interfering with the breathing process.
Various enzymes, such as Hexokinase, Phosphohexose isomerase, Phosphofructokinase, Aldolase, and others, are employed in the first step of respiration, glycolysis. Citric acid cycle enzymes such as citrate synthase, aconitase, decarboxylase, and dehydrogenation are used in the next phase. ATP synthase is employed in the final step of respiration, oxidative phosphorylation.
Note:
Even at the cellular level, there are specialised enzymes for catalysing each reaction. The primary role of enzymes in the respiration reaction is to aid the transport of electrons from one molecule to the next. Redox reactions are electron transfers in which a molecule loses an electron that is replaced by another substance by adding that lost electron.