My molecule of the day, in honor of this Friday’s BR meetup and a successful diplomatic mission to Telluride by an envoy from Ills Manor, is 2,3-biphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG for shot-callers).
At altitude, physiological changes are required in order to meet the body’s energy needs despite the relatively low partial pressure of oxygen. One of these changes, which happens within 24 hours, is to increase the concentration of 2,3-BPG in red bloods cells. This molecule binds to deoxygenated hemoglobin and decreases its affinity for oxygen. Thus, more fuel is made available for actively respiring tissues.
