Oxygen–hemoglobin dissociation curve

Definition

The oxygen–hemoglobin dissociation curve is a graphical representation that shows the relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen and the percentage saturation of hemoglobin in blood. It illustrates how easily hemoglobin picks up and releases oxygen molecules into tissues, depending on the oxygen concentration.

Related terms

Hemoglobin:

A protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body and bringing carbon dioxide back to be exhaled.

Partial pressure of oxygen: The measure of oxygen concentration in the blood or a gas mixture, influencing how much oxygen binds to or dissociates from hemoglobin.

Saturation: In this context, it refers to the extent to which hemoglobin is bound with oxygen; fully saturated means all hemoglobin sites are occupied by oxygen molecules