Variant Hemoglobin and Cardiorespiratory Regulation in Humans

Project Narrative Oxygen transport is a fundamental feature of higher order life forms. In humans an oxygen transport cascade transfers oxygen from the air to the tissues, and many diseases affect key steps in this cascade. Central to this process is the oxygen binding molecule hemoglobin. In this application I seek to explore 1) how changes in the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen affects oxygen transport in humans, and 2) if changing the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen might help patients with specific diseases that are marked by limitations in pulmonary and tissue oxygenation.