METAL COMPLEXES IN

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEM
(chapter 11)
The transport of oxygen in blood

- Haemoglobin

• Hb + 4O2 → Hb(O2)4
• Over 95% of O2 is carried in this way
• Red blood cell (erythrocyte)
Adaptation of RBC in transport of
gases
 Lack a nucleus
 Biconcave disc
Porphine
 Reversible addition of O2 to hemoglobin

The mechanism by which oxygen is carried throughout

the body
Haemoglobin
4 x Haem group + 4 x Polypeptide chain
Oxyhemoglobin and
deoxyhemoglobin
 Definition

 Oxyhemoglobin
 oxygen-carrying form of hemoglobin
 a diamagnetic molecule that creates no magnetic
moment, because oxygen molecules are bound to
iron
 Deoxyhemoglobin
 The form of hemoglobin without oxygen
 A paramagnetic molecule that generates magnetic
moments by its unpaired iron electrons.
 pulmonary
肺Lun
g
circulation
- to obtain O2 from
the atmosphere

⼼臟 ∴ Haemoglobin is
exposed to places having
different O2 concentration
(partial pressure) during
the circulation of blood.

systemic
circulation Body
- to release O2 to
the body tissue tissue
Coordination Environment of Fe2+ in
Oxymyoglobin and Oxyhemoglobin
 Arterial Blood

Strong field
O2
N
N
Fe
large 

N N
N

NH Bright red due to

globin absorption of greenish
(protein)
light
 Venous Blood
Weak field
OH 2

N
N
Fe

N N small 
N

NH Bluish color due to

globin absorption of orangish
(protein)
light
Cooperativity in Heme

 When deoxyhemoglobin binds a

single oxygen, it causes the other
heme groups to become much
more likely to bind other oxygen
molecules.
Toxicity of CO and CN in
hemoglobin
1) Inhibition of oxygen transport

 CO:
 produced by the incomplete combustion of organic
compounds (e.g. gas)

 binds to hemoglobin ( carboxyhemoglobin) with higher

affinity than oxygen, thus hindering the transport of oxygen
 symptoms: at 30-40% of HbCO – headache, dizziness,
unconsciousness; at 60-65% of HbCO – coma
 intervention: mechanical ventilation (oxygen displaces CO)
 Poisons forming methemoglobin:

 nitrites, derivatives of aniline, certain drugs (esters of

HNO3)

 Fe2+ in the molecule of Hb is oxidized to Fe3+  Hb is

converted to methemoglobin which is unable to bind O2
 symptoms: cyanosis
 treatment: toluidine blue:
• speeds up the reduction of MetHb to Hb

. Cl-
 2) Inhibition of electron transport
chain
 HCN and cyanides (K-C≡N):
 inhibition of enzymes containing iron, predominantly of
cytochrome oxidase

After:KODÍČEK, M. řetězec dýchací. From Biochemické pojmy: výkladový

slovník [online]. Praha: VŠCHT Praha, 2007 [cit. 2010-11-22]. Available from:

http://vydavatelstvi.vscht.cz/knihy/uid_es-002/ebook.html?p=retezec_dychaci

 symptoms: headache, unconsciousness, respiratory failure

 treatment: metals that bind CN- (Co)