What does it mean to shift to the left?
- Higher affinity for oxygen
- Less oxygen unloading in tissue
- Lower P50
When do we see a left shift?
- Mammals adapted to high altitude living
- Mammalian fetuses
- Rare cases of congenital erythrocytosis in humans
Notes
- Humans shift their curve to the right at high altitude – this is not adaptive
- Domestic cats do not have fetal Hb
