SECRETION OF GASES AGAINST HIGH PRESSURES IN THE SWIMBLADDER OF DEEP SEA FISHES I. OXYGEN DISSOCIATION IN BLOOD

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Abstract
Oxygen dissociation curves at a P02 running from 0.2 to 140 atmospheres were obtained from 8 spp. of deep sea fishes, at a pH varying from 8.0 to 5.7 and at a CO2 tension from 0.03 to 10-20% of one atmosphere. The Root effect in acidified blood could be demonstrated in some of these spp. even up to 140 atmospheres, inasmuch as part of the hemoglobin remained unsaturated. In other spp. full arterial saturation occurred, at pH 6 or lower, at O2 tensions much lower than those existing in the swimbladder. Hence the Root effect is not the mechanism for the O2 secretion in deep sea fishes. If O2 is derived from oxyhemoglobin it must be unloaded by some mechanism as yet unknown.