Oxygen Dissociation Curve
The oxygen disassociation curve shows the percentage of the total Haemoglobin saturated with O2 at a given partial pressure of O2.
You can see that a small difference in partial pressure will have a much larger effect on the saturation at lower pressures than at higher pressures.
If this curve shifts, this changes the Affinity of haemoglobin for O2 and O2 saturation at a given partial pressure.
This changes how much O2 is available to the tissues.
The main factors shifting the curve are:
- pH
- CO2
- Temperature
- 2,3 - DPG
