The Physiology of Carbon Dioxide Transport in Insect Blood

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Abstract
1. The pH of the blood of the third instar Gastrophilus larva is 6.64 at 38° C. with a pH-temperature coefficient of -0.007 Per 1° C. rise in temperature. 2. The total CO2 content of the blood varies from 40.6 to 131.4 vol. % with an average of 72.4 vol. %. The CO2 content of the tissues minus the cuticle is very close to, and follows the variations in, the CO2 content of the blood. 3. The CO2 tension in the blood is from 300 to 500 mm. Hg. From 30 to 50% of the CO2 is in solution, the rest in the form of bicarbonate. Carbamate formation does not occur in the blood. 4. The ‘apparent’ dissociation constant for carbonic acid, (pK'1), has a value of 6.08 (S.D. ±0.06) at 38° C. and 6.19 (s.d. ±0.13) at 16° C. 5. CO2 dissociation curves have been drawn for 38 and 16° C. The slope of the curves indicates that the whole of the CO2 is given off at zero CO2 tension, and that the blood is adapted for functioning at high CO2 tensions.