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A-Level Biology OCR A

Fetal Hb Adult Oxygen O Blood Explain Important

Front Explain the importance of the difference between oxygen dissociation curves for fetal and adult Hb & explain why it is important to lose fetal Hb after birth.
Back Adult vs fetal Hb:
  • Fetal Hb has higher affinity for O2 so shift to the left of adult
  • Allows oxygen transfer from maternal blood to fetal blood in placenta bc fetal Hb is better competitor for oxygen in placenta
  • If it was the same affinity as adult blood, then little/no oxygen would be transferred to blood of fetus
  • Important to lose fetal Hb after birth 
    • Bc fetal Hb requires lower O2 conc before it can unload O2
    • Adult tissues not adapted to that

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