Respiratory pigment
Respiratory Pigment
Respiratory pigments are molecules that increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. These pigments are crucial for the efficient transport of oxygen from the respiratory organs to the tissues and the return transport of carbon dioxide from the tissues to the respiratory organs. The most well-known respiratory pigments are hemoglobin, myoglobin, hemocyanin, and chlorocruorin.
Types of Respiratory Pigments[edit | edit source]
Hemoglobin[edit | edit source]
Hemoglobin is the most common respiratory pigment found in vertebrates. It is a protein found in red blood cells that binds to oxygen in the lungs and releases it in the tissues. Hemoglobin contains iron, which gives red blood cells their characteristic color.
Myoglobin[edit | edit source]
Myoglobin is a respiratory pigment found in muscle tissues. It has a higher affinity for oxygen than hemoglobin, allowing it to store oxygen and release it during periods of intense muscular activity.
Hemocyanin[edit | edit source]
Hemocyanin is a copper-containing respiratory pigment found in the blood of many arthropods and mollusks. Unlike hemoglobin, hemocyanin is not contained within blood cells but is instead freely dissolved in the blood plasma.
Chlorocruorin[edit | edit source]
Chlorocruorin is a greenish respiratory pigment found in some annelids, such as certain species of marine worms. It is similar to hemoglobin but has a different structure and color.
Function[edit | edit source]
Respiratory pigments function by reversibly binding to oxygen molecules. This binding allows for the efficient transport of oxygen from areas of high concentration (such as the lungs or gills) to areas of low concentration (such as the tissues). The pigments also play a role in the transport of carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular respiration, back to the respiratory organs for exhalation.
Importance[edit | edit source]
The presence of respiratory pigments is essential for the survival of many organisms, as they enable efficient oxygen transport and utilization. Without these pigments, the diffusion of oxygen through the blood would be insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of most tissues.
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
 | This biology article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
