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Rank these in listed to highest oxygen affinity: myoglobin, adult hemoglobin, fetal hemoglobin

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Final answer:

Myoglobin has the highest oxygen affinity, followed by fetal hemoglobin, and adult hemoglobin has the lowest of the three. This order reflects their specific physiological roles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The affinity for oxygen among myoglobin, adult hemoglobin, and fetal hemoglobin varies due to differences in structure and function. Fetal hemoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen compared to adult hemoglobin. This is due to its different structure, which allows fetal hemoglobin to effectively pick up oxygen from the mother's blood so that it can be transported to the fetus. Adult hemoglobin has a lower affinity for oxygen which is ideal for oxygen delivery to adult tissues. Myoglobin, which is found in muscle tissue, has an even higher affinity for oxygen than fetal hemoglobin. Myoglobin's role is to store oxygen and release it during periods of high muscular activity when the oxygen supply is limited.

Therefore, ranking these from the highest to the lowest oxygen affinity, it would be:

  1. Myoglobin
  2. Fetal Hemoglobin
  3. Adult Hemoglobin
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