Question

In the hereditary blood disorder β-thalassemia the β globin chains are not synthesized and tetramers consisting solely of α chains form. Compare and contrast the O2 binding behaviors of this protein and normal hemoglobin. On a single graph, sketch their O2 binding curves.

Answer 1

Investigations in B-thalassemia shows reduced or absent HbA and raised levels of HbF(>92%)

HbF shows increased O2 binding behaviour as compared to normal Hb

Thus there is left side shift in O2 binding curves