 In order to work and create movement,

our muscles need oxygen.

 You body needs a regular supply of
oxygen to stay alive.
 The working muscles need energy, which
is supplied by oxygen.
 As an activity becomes more
demanding the need for oxygen is
greater.
 The lungs, heart, blood and muscles all play an important part in the
oxygen transport system. The whole oxygen transport system works in a
cycle.

 The respiratory system and the circulatory system work together to

provide the muscles with oxygen – this enables you to exercise.
 Enables air to be inhaled.

 When you breathe in, oxygen enters your lungs and is absorbed
into your blood which is pumped around your body by your heart.

 The oxygenated blood allows the cells within your body to use
energy to help you exercise so the muscles can produce
movement.

 When your cells produce energy and the muscles use the oxygen
up, a waste product called carbon dioxide is produced.

 The carbon dioxide is carried back to the lungs by the blood; it is

then removed from your body when you breathe out.

 Breathing is an automatic process , it is controlled by the brain.

 This system consists of the heart and the
blood vessels.

 The heart is a pump, which pushes the blood

through the vessels.

 The blood flows round the body in a

continuous system.

 By contracting and relaxing the heart

muscles can pump blood around the body.
 With an improved oxygen transport system, the
body will be more able to cope with exercise. As a
person becomes fitter, less effort is needed for the
same amount of work.
 A regular programme of training will improve the
efficiency of the heart and lungs.
The blood transports oxygen in two ways:

 1. In physical solution—dissolved in the

fluid portion of the blood.

 2. Combined with hemoglobin (Hb)—in

loose combination with the iron–protein
Hb molecule in the red blood cell
Oxygen does not dissolve readily in fluids. At an alveolar O2 of 100 mm
Hg, only about 0.3 mL of gaseous oxygen dissolves in the plasma of
each 100 mL of blood (3 ml/l). Because the average adult’s total blood
volume equals about 5 L, 15 mL of oxygen dissolves for transport in the
fluid portion of the blood. This amount of oxygen sustains life for about 4
seconds. Viewed somewhat differently, the body would need to
circulate 80 L of blood each minute just to supply the resting oxygen
requirements if oxygen were transported only in physical solution.
Despite its limited quantity, oxygen transported in
physical solution serves a vital physiologic function. Dissolved oxygen
establishes the PO2 of the blood and tissue fluids to help regulate
breathing and determines the magnitude thus Hb loads with oxygen in
the lungs and unloads it in the tissues.
In humans, the iron-containing protein pigment Hb
constitutes the main component of the body’s 25 trillion
red blood cells. Hb increases the blood’s oxygen-carrying
capacity 65 to 70 times above that normally dissolved in
plasma. For each liter of blood, Hb temporarily
“captures” about 197 mL of oxygen. Each of the four iron
atoms in a Hb molecule loosely binds one molecule of
oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin in the reversible
oxygenation reaction:
Hb + 4O2 → Hb4O8
This reaction requires no enzymes, it progresses without a
change in the valance of Fe, as occurs during the more
permanent process of oxidation. The partial pressure of
oxygen in solution solely determines the oxygenation of
Hb to oxyhemoglobin.
In men, each 100 mL of blood contains
approximately 15 to 16 g of Hb. The value
averages 5% to 10% less for women, or
about 14 g per 100 mL of blood. The
gender difference in Hb concentration
contributes to the lower aerobic capacity
of women even after adjusting statistically
for gender-related differences in body
mass and body fat.
Each gram of Hb can combine loosely with 1.34 mL of oxygen. Thus, the
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood from its Hb concentration computes as
follows:

Oxygen-carrying capacity = Hb ( g / 100 mL blood) × Oxygen capacity of Hb

If the blood’s Hb concentration equals 15 g, then approximately 20 mL of

oxygen (15 g per 100 mL × 1.34 mL=20.1) combine with the Hb in each
100 mL of blood if Hb achieved full oxygen saturation (i.e., if all Hb existed
as Hb4O8).
 Haemoglobin saturation is the amount of
oxygen bound by each molecule of
haemoglobin
 Each molecule of haemoglobin can carry
four molecules of O2.
 When oxygen binds to haemoglobin, it
forms OXYHAEMOGLOBIN.
 Haemoglobin that is not bound to oxygen is
referred to as DEOXYHAEMOGLOBIN.
 The binding of O2 to haemoglobin depends on the
PO2 in the blood and the bonding strength, or
affinity, between haemoglobin and oxygen.

 The graph on the following page shows an oxygen

dissociation curve, which reveals the amount of
haemoglobin saturation at different PO2 values.
Haemoglobin saturation is determined by In the lungs the partial pressure is
the partial pressure of oxygen. When approximately 100mm Hg at this Partial
these values are graphed they produce Pressure haemoglobin has a high
the Oxygen Disassociation Curve affinity to 02 and is 98% saturated.

In the tissues of other organs a typical PO2 is 40 mmHg here haemoglobin has a
lower affinity for O2 and releases some but not all of its O2 to the tissues. When
haemoglobin leaves the tissues it is still 75% saturated.
Lungs at sea level: Lungs at high
PO2 of 100mmHg elevations: PO2
haemoglobin is 98% of 80mmHg,
SATURATED haemoglobin 95
% saturated

When the PO2 in the Even though PO2

lungs declines below differs by 20 mmHg
typical sea level values, there is almost no
haemoglobin still has a difference in
high affinity for O2 and haemoglobin
remains almost fully saturation.
saturated.
 Blood acidity…
 Blood temperature…
 Carbon Dioxide concentration…
Respiratory Response to Exercise

BLOOD TEMPERATURE
 increased blood temperature
 reduces haemoglobin affinity for O2
 hence more O2 is delivered to
warmed-up tissue

BLOOD Ph
• lowering of blood pH (making blood
more acidic)
• caused by presence of H+ ions from lactic
acid or carbonic acid
• reduces affinity of Hb for O2
• and more O2 is delivered to acidic sites
which are working harder

CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION

• the higher CO2 concentration in tissue
• the less the affinity of Hb for O2
• so the harder the tissue is working, the
more O2 is released