- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 1,044
- Reaction score
- 2
All right, so I thought I fully understood this, but EK is confusing me.
Where is this carbonic anhydrase? Is it in the plasma or the erythrocytes.
Does it catalyze both the forward reaction and the backwards reaction?
Is this the process?
CO2 is produced in tissues, diffuses into capillaries, where it is converted to bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase. Next, bicarbonate enters the erythrocyte, where it remains until the blood reaches the lungs. When the blood reaches the lungs, the bicarbonate is then reconverted into CO2, which then leaves the red blood cells, diffuses out of the capillaries into the lung.
I think I am just confused as to where exactly the CO2-bicarbonate conversion happens and what catalyzes both the forward and the reverse reaction.
CO2 form tissues diffuses into capillaries, where most of it is eventually converted to bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase
Where is this carbonic anhydrase? Is it in the plasma or the erythrocytes.
Does it catalyze both the forward reaction and the backwards reaction?
Is this the process?
CO2 is produced in tissues, diffuses into capillaries, where it is converted to bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase. Next, bicarbonate enters the erythrocyte, where it remains until the blood reaches the lungs. When the blood reaches the lungs, the bicarbonate is then reconverted into CO2, which then leaves the red blood cells, diffuses out of the capillaries into the lung.
I think I am just confused as to where exactly the CO2-bicarbonate conversion happens and what catalyzes both the forward and the reverse reaction.
CO2 form tissues diffuses into capillaries, where most of it is eventually converted to bicarbonate by carbonic anhydrase