Christian Bohr

Christian Bohr
Born	1855 Copenhagen, Denmark
Died	1911 Copenhagen, Denmark
Nationality	Danish
Known for	Bohr effect
Scientific career
Fields	Physiology

Christian Bohr (1855-1911) was a Danish physiologist known for his contributions to the understanding of respiratory physiology. He is best known for his discovery of the Bohr effect, which describes the relationship between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood.

Early Life and Education

Christian Bohr was born in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1855. He came from a family of academics, with his father being a professor of physiology at the University of Copenhagen. This familial influence played a significant role in shaping Bohr's interest in the field of physiology.

Bohr pursued his higher education at the University of Copenhagen, where he studied medicine. He obtained his medical degree in 1880 and subsequently worked as a physician at the Municipal Hospital in Copenhagen.

Career and Contributions

Bohr's research focused on the respiratory system and the factors that influence the transport of oxygen in the blood. In 1904, he made a groundbreaking discovery that would later be known as the Bohr effect. He found that an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the blood causes a decrease in the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, resulting in the release of oxygen to the tissues. This discovery had significant implications for understanding how the body regulates oxygen delivery to different organs and tissues.

Bohr's work on the Bohr effect laid the foundation for further research in respiratory physiology and has been widely recognized and studied by subsequent generations of scientists. His findings have been instrumental in understanding the mechanisms underlying conditions such as hypoxia and respiratory diseases.

Legacy

Christian Bohr's contributions to the field of physiology have had a lasting impact on our understanding of respiratory physiology. His discovery of the Bohr effect has been widely acknowledged and continues to be a fundamental concept in the study of oxygen transport in the body.

In recognition of his work, Bohr's name has been immortalized in various ways. The Bohr effect is named after him, and his research has been extensively cited in scientific literature. His legacy also lives on through his son, Niels Bohr, who went on to become a renowned physicist and Nobel laureate.

See Also

• Bohr effect
• Respiratory physiology
• Hemoglobin