Question

Put the choices in the appropriate box depending on if they are involved in oxygen transport or carbon dioxide transport by RBCs.

a) Oxygen transport
b) Carbon dioxide transport
c) Both
d) Neither

Answer 1

Oxygen is bound to hemoglobin for transport, labelled 'c', while carbon dioxide is transported either bound directly to hemoglobin, dissolved in plasma, or converted to bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase, identified as 'a' and 'b'. The enzyme carbonic anhydrase does not directly transport oxygen, making 'd' not applicable for either type of gas transport.

Step-by-step explanation:

The transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide by red blood cells (RBCs) involves different components and processes. Oxygen transport primarily occurs through binding to hemoglobin within the RBCs. This is identified as choice 'c', hemoglobin and oxygen. On the other hand, carbon dioxide transport occurs in three ways:

1. Directly with hemoglobin, different from the binding site of oxygen.
2. Carbon dioxide is converted to bicarbonate (HCO3-) by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase within the RBCs, which indicates choice 'b', carbonic anhydrase and carbon dioxide.
3. Carbon dioxide dissolves in the plasma.

Therefore, the correct placement for the listed items would be:

• a) Carbon dioxide transport.
• b) Carbon dioxide transport.
• c) Oxygen transport.
• d) Neither.

While carbonic anhydrase facilitates CO2 transport, it is not directly involved in the transport of oxygen, making 'd' the odd one out.