Lactate does facilitate oxygen unloading from the hemoglobin of the whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, after diving

• Main Authors: Brix, O, Ekker, M, Scatena, R, Clementi, M, Giardina, B., CONDO', SAVERIO GIOVANNI
• Other Authors: Condo', Sg, Giardina, B
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1990
• Subjects: Oxygen; Animal; Lactate; Hemoglobin; Diving; Lactic Acid; Cetacea; Whales; Settore BIO/10 - BIOCHIMICA; Balaenoptera acutorostrata
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2108/54799

The present study reports on a specific effect of lactate on the oxygen binding properties of the hemoglobin from the whale, Balaenontera acutorostrata. In fact 0.1 mM lactate may increase the amount of oxygen unloaded to the tissues as much as 30%. Under these conditions the Bohr shift, of the magnitude of about -1, does not alter the oxygen affinity, but plays an important role in the isohydric transport of carbon dioxide.