Which blood component is primarily responsible for transporting gases?

Which blood component is primarily responsible for transporting gases?

• A. Platelets
• B. White Blood Cells
• C. Red Blood Cells
• D. Plasma

Answer: (C)

Gas transport in the bloodstream is dominated by red blood cells because they carry hemoglobin, a protein that reversibly binds both oxygen and carbon dioxide. In the lungs, hemoglobin picks up oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin and releases it to tissues. In tissues, it releases the oxygen and binds carbon dioxide for return to the lungs. While some CO2 is carried dissolved in plasma or bound to hemoglobin as carbaminohemoglobin, most CO2 is transported as bicarbonate after conversion inside red blood cells. Plasma does carry dissolved gases, but the vast majority of gas transport relies on hemoglobin inside red blood cells, making red blood cells the primary transporter of gases.

Gas transport in the bloodstream is dominated by red blood cells because they carry hemoglobin, a protein that reversibly binds both oxygen and carbon dioxide. In the lungs, hemoglobin picks up oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin and releases it to tissues. In tissues, it releases the oxygen and binds carbon dioxide for return to the lungs. While some CO2 is carried dissolved in plasma or bound to hemoglobin as carbaminohemoglobin, most CO2 is transported as bicarbonate after conversion inside red blood cells. Plasma does carry dissolved gases, but the vast majority of gas transport relies on hemoglobin inside red blood cells, making red blood cells the primary transporter of gases.