Journal of Applied Physiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Appl Physiol 40: 673-678, 1976;
8750-7587/76 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by King, T. K.
Right arrow Articles by Mazal, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by King, T. K.
Right arrow Articles by Mazal, D.

Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 40, Issue 5 673-678, Copyright © 1976 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Alveolar-capillary CO2 and O2 gradients due to uneven hematocrits

T. K. King and D. Mazal

The effect of uneven hematocrit of the blood perfusing the different pulmonary capillaries on gas exchange in the lung was studied in vitro. Venous blood was separated anaerobically into plasma and red cell fractions, arterialized in separate tonometers, and finally reconstituted anaerobically. This simulated the effect of complete separation of plasma and red cells on pulmonary gas exchange. The reconstituted blood had a significantly higher carbon dioxide tension and a lower oxygen tension compared with whole blood similarly arterialized. Experiments in which plasma and red cells were incompletely separated yielded qualitatively similar results; the changes in gas tensions were smaller but still significant. While the degree and extent of separation of plasma and red cells in the pulmonary capillary in vivo is uncertain, direct observation and hemodynamic consideration suggest it must occur to some extent. Thus unevenness in the hematocrit of the perfusing pulmonary capillary blood is a mechanism in the genesis of the alevolar-arterial gradients which should be considered in addition to the known mechanisms of uneven ventilation-perfusion ratios and diffusion defects.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
S. Deem, R. G. Hedges, S. McKinney, N. L. Polissar, M. K. Alberts, and E. R. Swenson
Mechanisms of improvement in pulmonary gas exchange during isovolemic hemodilution
J Appl Physiol, July 1, 1999; 87(1): 132 - 141.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
S. Deem, M. K. Alberts, M. J. Bishop, A. Bidani, and E. R. Swenson
CO2 transport in normovolemic anemia: complete compensation and stability of blood CO2 tensions
J Appl Physiol, July 1, 1997; 83(1): 240 - 246.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online