Counter-current blood flow in tissues: protection against adverse effects.
In hypoxia, the tissue counter-current can thus, by virtue of the Bohr effect, increase tissue Po2 and thus tissue oxygenation. In hyperoxia, on the other hand, the counter-current system, acting as a diffusion shunt, can protect the tissue against adverse O2-toxic effects. It thus appears, that the counter-current system is advantageous for O2 supply to tissues.
Kobayashi
H
H
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Pelster
B
B
Piiper
J
J
Scheid
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen