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What is carbaminohaemoglobin?

  1. The form of haemoglobin that carries oxygen

  2. The compound formed when carbon dioxide combines with haemoglobin

  3. A type of protein involved in energy production

  4. A hormone that regulates blood pressure

The correct answer is: The compound formed when carbon dioxide combines with haemoglobin

Carbaminohaemoglobin refers specifically to the compound formed when carbon dioxide interacts with haemoglobin in red blood cells. This occurs when carbon dioxide is produced as a byproduct of cellular respiration; it diffuses into the blood and binds to haemoglobin. This binding takes place primarily at the amino groups on the globin chains of haemoglobin, resulting in the formation of carbaminohaemoglobin. This process is significant because it allows for efficient transport of carbon dioxide from tissues back to the lungs, where it can be exhaled. Understanding this compound is crucial for grasping how gas exchange operates in the body, particularly in the context of respiration and maintaining acid-base balance. The other choices represent different concepts: the form of haemoglobin carrying oxygen pertains to oxyhaemoglobin, a type of protein involved in energy production does not accurately describe haemoglobin's primary function, and a hormone regulating blood pressure does not relate to haemoglobin at all. All these aspects illustrate why the compound formed by the binding of carbon dioxide to haemoglobin is accurately defined as carbaminohaemoglobin.