Final answer:
The process of nutrition of the embryo is facilitated by the placenta, which allows for the transfer of oxygen and nutrients from the maternal blood to the fetal bloodstream. This transfer occurs through a combination of simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and active transport. The Bohr effect plays a role in ensuring efficient oxygen supply to the embryo by causing a rightward shift in the oxygen dissociation curve.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of nutrition of the embryo involves the placenta, which develops throughout the embryonic period and provides nutrition to the growing fetus. The placenta receives blood from the fetus through the umbilical arteries and filters fetal wastes out of the blood. Nutrients and oxygen from the maternal blood surrounding the villi are transferred to the fetal bloodstream through the capillaries. Some substances move across the placenta by simple diffusion, while others move by facilitated diffusion or active transport.
One important function of the placenta is the **permeability** and **diffusion** of oxygen and nutrients. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and lipid-soluble substances can pass through the placenta by simple diffusion. Water-soluble substances like glucose move across by facilitated diffusion. Substances like amino acids and iron are actively transported across the placenta. This ensures that the embryo receives the necessary nutrients for its growth and development.
The **Bohr effect** is a phenomenon that affects the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. It states that an increase in carbon dioxide and a decrease in pH (acidic environment) causes a rightward shift in the oxygen dissociation curve. This means that hemoglobin releases more oxygen to the tissues where it is needed. The Bohr effect allows the placenta to efficiently supply oxygen to the developing embryo, as the increased carbon dioxide and acidity in the placenta lead to the release of more oxygen from maternal blood.