Open AccessThe osmotic pressure of hæmoglobin in the absence of salts
Author(s) -
G. S. Adair
Publication year - 1925
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1925.0126
Subject(s) - chemistry , osmotic pressure , hemoglobin , hydrogen , ion , distilled water , inorganic chemistry , hydrogen bond , thermodynamics , chromatography , biochemistry , organic chemistry , molecule , physics
In the general theory of hæmoglobin solutions the osmotic pressure of the pure protein does not occupy an important place, because it is simply one of many possible combinations of hæmoglobin, water, hydrogen ions, and salts. There is, however, the definite advantage in studying pure hæmoglobin solutions that, if the protein be in equilibrium with distilled water, there is no need to consider secondary complications in the distribution of salts, due to the presence of the membrane. If a very acid protein were used, it would be necessary to consider the pressure due to hydrogen ions, but the iso-electric point of hæmoglobin is so near neutrality that the hydrogen-ion pressure is immeasurably small.