Which protein found in red blood cells is responsible to binding oxygen?
Group of answer choices
Bilirubin
Collagen Fibrin
Hemoglobin
All of the above
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is Hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells responsible for binding oxygen. It is a complex protein composed of four subunits, each containing an iron atom in a heme group. This iron atom is crucial because it binds to oxygen molecules in the lungs and carries them through the bloodstream to various tissues and organs. Hemoglobin has the ability to pick up oxygen when the blood reaches the lungs, where oxygen concentration is high, and releases it in tissues where oxygen concentration is low.
Hemoglobin’s structure allows it to carry up to four oxygen molecules at a time. It binds oxygen reversibly, meaning it can pick up oxygen where it is abundant and release it where it is needed. This property is crucial for maintaining proper cellular function, as tissues require oxygen for energy production through processes like cellular respiration.
The binding of oxygen to hemoglobin is influenced by factors such as pH, temperature, and carbon dioxide levels, which is known as the Bohr effect. In areas where the pH is lower (more acidic) and the carbon dioxide concentration is higher (such as in active muscles), hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen decreases, promoting the release of oxygen where it is most needed.
Other options in the question—bilirubin, collagen, and fibrin—are not involved in oxygen binding. Bilirubin is a waste product from the breakdown of red blood cells, collagen is a structural protein in connective tissues, and fibrin plays a key role in blood clotting, but none of these are involved in the transport or binding of oxygen in the body.