Final answer:
If hemoglobin were free in the plasma, the viscosity and osmotic pressure of blood would increase, and hemoglobin might leak from the bloodstream. However, free hemoglobin would not be more stable, but rather more prone to damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Consequences of Free Hemoglobin in Plasma
When addressing the question of what would occur if hemoglobin was free in the plasma rather than contained within erythrocytes, it's important to understand the normal function of hemoglobin within the red blood cells. Hemoglobin's role is to bind oxygen and transport it to tissues, a crucial process in maintaining homeostasis. If hemoglobin were free in the plasma, several things would change:
- The viscosity of blood would likely increase due to the proteins free in the plasma.
- The osmotic pressure of blood would likely increase as well, which could disturb fluid balance.
- Hemoglobin would be likely to leak out of the bloodstream into the urine, since the kidneys filter out molecules of a certain size and free hemoglobin is small enough to pass through.
However, one thing that would not occur is the stabilization of hemoglobin. In the absence of the protective environment provided by the erythrocyte, free hemoglobin is actually more prone to oxidative damage and would not be stabilized.