FACILITATED OXYGEN-TRANSPORT WITH MODIFIED AND ENCAPSULATED HEMOGLOBINS ACROSS NON-FLOWING SOLUTION MEMBRANE

The oxygen-transporting capability of modified and encapsulated hemogl obins and red cells is discussed from a physico-chemical standpoint in order to design oxygen-delivering fluids. The oxygen diffusion coeffi cient toward oxygen-deficient sites was estimated by measuring the oxy gen flux across thin solution membranes of hemoglobin, polymerized hem oglobin, liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin, and red cells. Oxygen flux was enhanced several times over that of nitrogen for the hemoglobin an d red cell solution with cn. [Hb] = 10 and 15 g/dl, respectively. The enhancement in the oxygen diffusion is ascribed to the facilitated tra nsport of oxygen via the hemoglobins. This was in contrast to the simp le and physical oxygen-diffusivity in response to its concentration gr adient, in the absence of hemoglobins. The flux of the oxygen transpor t was in the order of hemoglobin > red cells > polymerized hemoglobin > encapsulated hemoglobin, which was ascribed to the facilitated trans port efficiencies of oxygen with hemoglobins in a non-flowing or stati onary solution.