EXPOSURE TO HIGH ALTITUDE OF SHEEP WITH DIFFERENT HAEMOGLOBINS

The O2 pressure, saturation and capacity, the pH and CO2 pressure in the arterial blood of nonanæsthetized sheep were measured at two altitudes (1600 and 4340 metres). At high altitude sheep carriers of A hæmoglobin had a mean arterial saturation significantly higher than the B hæmoglobin carriers (86·4 ± 0·6 vs. 67·5 ± 1·0). The carriers of a mixture of A and B hæmoglobins had an intermediate saturation: 77·0 ± 1·0. There was no significant difference among the three groups in arterial PO2, pH, PCO2, oxygen capacity and hæmatocrit. © 1969 The Physiological Society