Tissue layer

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 ♦ For terminology and basic concepts, refer to the pages about Principles of diffusion and Facilitation Pressure.

In a tissue layer, there is oxygen consumption, irreversible reaction with oxygen, M, in moles per volume per time, and the solution of steady state diffusion through a flat layer is:

P = P0 + ΔP xM x (L − x)
L2
where P is oxygen (O2) partial pressure, x is distance into the layer ranging from 0 to L, ΔP is pressure difference across the layer = PL−P0, and is O2 permeability. The flux J is:
J = − ΔP + M(½L − x)
L
So, measurements of fluxes in both chambers lead to results for both determinants:
= ½L J0 + JL M = J0 − JL
P0 − PL L
But there are some preconditions:
  – P must be high enough to maintain M at the same value erverywhere;
  – no facilitation by myoglobin or can be neglected
  – J can be measured - this is not obvious in case of layer bulging.
The second condition can be handled by replacing P by P+PFS inside the layer and assuming saturation S to be in equilibrium with P. If M stays maximal up to a location x=d where all oxygen has been consumed, both pressure P and flux J will be zero there and the solution for P becomes:
P + PFS = M (x − d)2
2
which after some math leads to:

J02 = 2M(P0 + PFS0)

But these simple solutions are limited to simple model situations. Read more in the reference (1), also about how to handle the preconditions both mathematically and experimentally, and conclusion drawn from graphs.

For the Appendix to this paper contact me throught the Contact page of the homepage menu.


(1) de Koning J Hoofd LJC Kreuzer F: Oxygen transport and the function of myoglobin. Theoretical model and experiments in chicken gizzard smooth muscle. Pflügers Arch Eur J Physiol 389(3): 211-217. (1981)

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