Authors: Marcel Florkin
Publish Date: 1948/05/01
Volume: 4, Issue: 5, Pages: 176-191
Abstract
The author reviews a series of biological aspects of the study of oxygenable hematinoproteids particularly with respect to evolution and adaptation After a statement of some fundamental concepts of comparative biochemistry and of possible evolutionary relations between oxidation catalysts and oxygen carriers the natural distribution of hemoglobins is reviewed and their specific characters are enumeratedA review is made of the data relating to the shape of the oxygendissociation curves and to the affinity of hæmoglobin for oxygen It appears generally speaking that hyperbolic or almost hyperbolic curves and high affinity for oxygen are characteristic of primitive or embryonic hæmoglobinsA study of the function of hæmoglobin in the respiratory cycle of several animal species shows the vital importance of the oxygen carrier as well as the adaptation of the shape and position of the dissociation curve to the character of the respiratory function in the animal considered
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