Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Oxygen Transport in the Blood

Oxygen Transport in the Blood

Hemoglobin (Hb) is a crucial molecule in the human body, consisting of four polypeptide chains, each bound to an iron-containing heme group. This unique structure enables hemoglobin to bind to oxygen, with each molecule capable of combining with four molecules of oxygen, leading to rapid and reversible oxygen loading. When fully loaded with oxygen, it is called oxyhemoglobin, while hemoglobin that has released oxygen is called reduced hemoglobin or deoxyhemoglobin. As hemoglobin binds oxygen,...

Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is a globular protein made up of four subunits. Two of these subunits are alpha chains, and the other two are beta chains. Each subunit contains a molecule of heme, which has an iron atom and can bind to oxygen. When an oxygen molecule binds to one heme group, it changes the shape of hemoglobin, making it easier for the other heme groups to bind oxygen as well.
When all four heme groups are bound to oxygen, the resulting molecule is called oxyhemoglobin. As a result, arterial blood...

Factors Affecting Respiration

Factors Affecting Respiration

Respiration is a crucial physiological function involving exchanging oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) between an organism and its environment. Various factors can impact this essential process:

Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis

Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis

The cardiovascular system regulates the number of erythrocytes in the bloodstream to ensure optimal oxygen transport. It also prevents over-proliferation of these cells, which helps to maintain blood viscosity and flow rate.
Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...

Carbon Dioxide Transport in the Blood

Carbon Dioxide Transport in the Blood

Carbon dioxide (CO2) transport in the blood is critical to human physiology. On average, our body cells produce around 200 mL of CO2 per minute, precisely the quantity expelled by the lungs. This process involves the transportation of CO2 from the tissue cells to the lungs in three primary forms.
Forms of CO2 Transport
1. Dissolved in plasma: A small percentage (7-10%) of CO2 is transported and dissolved directly in the plasma.
2. Carbaminohemoglobin: Just over 20% of CO2 is chemically bound to...

Erythropoiesis

Erythropoiesis

Red blood cells (RBCs) transport oxygen to all body tissues. These cells survive only for 120 days and then need to be replenished. Erythropoiesis is the process of RBC production. In healthy individuals, erythropoiesis ensures all tissues are amply supplied with oxygen. In addition, blood loss due to injury leads to a drop in the physiological oxygen level that will cause erythropoiesis. Any defect in erythropoiesis leads to several physiological disorders, including thalassemia, anemia, and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Weight change and short-term risk of hypertension in healthy adults.

European journal of preventive cardiology·2026

Same author

Incidence of post-procedural atrial fibrillation after multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting: a nationwide observational study.

Open heart·2026

Same author

Linking Lipidomics to Vulnerable Coronary Plaques: A PROSPECT II Substudy.

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology·2026

Same author

Influenza Vaccination Among Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes in Denmark: Coverage, Persistence, and Determinants, 2015-2022.

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism·2026

Same author

Pre-perfusion coronary wedge pressure and microvascular obstruction in anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): An analysis from the EUROICE study.

International journal of cardiology·2026

Same author

The contribution of growth to the SDA response in pythons.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Published on: October 6, 2023

Decrease in the red cell cofactor 2,3-diphosphoglycerate increases hemoglobin oxygen affinity in the hibernating

Inge G Revsbech¹, Hans Malte, Ole Fröbert

¹Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Denmark.

American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology

|November 24, 2012

Summary

Brown bears maintain low metabolism during hibernation by increasing blood oxygen affinity. This is linked to lower 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) levels in red blood cells, aiding oxygen delivery to tissues.

More Related Videos

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 9, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Arteriovenous Metabolomics to Measure In Vivo Metabolite Exchange in Brown Adipose Tissue

Published on: October 6, 2023

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 9, 2015

Area of Science:

Comparative physiology
Mammalian hibernation
Biochemistry

Background:

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) exhibit significant metabolic depression during winter hibernation.
Reduced oxygen consumption suggests a temperature-independent component to metabolic regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the correlation between blood oxygen affinity and metabolic changes during brown bear hibernation.
To understand the role of hemoglobin-oxygen interactions in hibernating mammals.

Main Methods:

Blood samples collected from hibernating (winter) and active (summer) brown bears.
Oxygen binding curves analyzed on red blood cell lysates and purified hemoglobin.
Quantification of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) levels.

Main Results:

Brown bear hemoglobin showed less temperature-sensitive oxygen affinity compared to other vertebrates.
Hibernating bears displayed higher blood oxygen affinity and lower cooperativity.
A significant decrease in red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) was observed during hibernation, directly correlating with increased oxygen affinity.

Conclusions:

Reduced DPG levels in hibernating brown bears increase hemoglobin's oxygen affinity.
This adaptation is crucial for maintaining stable tissue oxygen tension despite reduced metabolic rate and body temperature.
Brown bear hibernation metabolism is primarily aerobic, with no evidence of upregulated glycolysis.