Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the protoctist, Plasmodium. As part of its lifecycle, Plasmodium infects human red blood cells. Researchers can compare haemoglobin from the red blood cells of a healthy person with haemoglobin from a person with malaria. In the laboratory, oxygen at different partial pressures can be bubbled through a solution of haemoglobin to determine the percentage saturation of haemoglobin at each partial pressure. A graph constructed from the results is known as an oxygen dissociation curve. Fig. 5.1 is an oxygen dissociation curve for normal adult haemoglobin in humans. Fig. 5.1 (i) In the experiment used to obtain the results shown in Fig. 5.1, the temperature and pH were standardised. Explain what the researchers would consider when deciding which temperature and pH to use in the experiment. ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ................................................................................................................................. (ii) Using a different, more rapid technique, researchers compared the haemoglobin contained in red blood cells of a healthy person with the haemoglobin of a person with malaria who had been infected with $$\(P\)$$. vivax. By analysing the results, the researchers concluded that the oxygen dissociation curve of a person with malaria would be shifted to the right. With reference to Fig. 5.1, explain how a shift to the right of the oxygen dissociation curve would affect oxygen loading in the lungs, and unloading in respiring tissues, in a person with malaria. ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . ....................................................................................................................................... . .................................................................................................................................

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