A Study on Oxygen Diffusion Through Living Tissues

Abstract

A theoretical study of oxygen diffusion process through living tissues and its various consequences have been presented. In this aspect we have reviewed some physiological terms and fundamental lows of diffusion. A Mathematical model of the partial pressure of oxygen across the alveolar­pulmonary capillary membrane has been determined and expressed in term of membrane thickness due to the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve. On the other hand, the effect of partial pressure of carbon dioxide has been found to be the function of partial pressure of oxygen. The partial pressure of oxygen along the pulmonary capillary has also been discussed when deoxygenated blood converts to the oxygenated blood taking Hill's modified oxyhemoglobin dissociation equation and Bohr effect. It is found that the partial pressure of oxygen increases with the increasing of capillary length. The mathematical equations have been developed based on the partial pressure of oxygen in the capillary blood is reached in equilibrium position. It is found that the molar flux decreases exponentially with the increasing of radial thickness of the capillary. Moreover, It is found that the molar flux of oxygen increases linearly with the increasing of diffusion coefficient of oxygen. A mathematical model of molar flux of oxygen has been developed across the capillary-tissue membrane by neglecting the convective transport across the capillary membrane. We have found that the maximum consumption rate of oxygen increases rapidly at initial stages after that it decreases with the increasing of wall thickness. Moreover, the result indicates that the pressure profile of oxygen along the wall is approximately linear with the increasing of the thickness of capillary wall.