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. 1974 Feb 22;183(4126):743-4.
doi: 10.1126/science.183.4126.743.

Survival at extreme altitude: protective effect of increased hemoglobin-oxygen affinity

J W Eaton, T D Skelton, E Berger

Survival at extreme altitude: protective effect of increased hemoglobin-oxygen affinity

J W Eaton et al. Science. .

Abstract

Decreased hemoglobin-oxygen affinity is thought to be of adaptive value to humans and nonindigenous animals at high altitude. To test this, hemoglobin-oxygen affinity was modified by carbamoylation of hemoglobin in rats. Exposure of control (low oxygen affinity) and experimental (high oxygen affinity) animals to a pressure equivalent to high altitude revealed that increased, rather than decreased, hemoglobin-oxygen affinity will permit survival at greatly reduced environmental oxygen pressures.

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