[Campbell Biology P.996] What is the primary role of respiratory pigments in animals, and wh... | Practice Question

What is the primary role of respiratory pigments in animals, and what general characteristics do they share?

  • A: They primarily increase the solubility of CO2 in blood, allowing for more efficient CO2 transport.
  • B: They greatly increase the amount of O2 that can be carried in the circulatory fluid by binding O2, and typically consist of a metal bound to a protein.
  • C: They are enzymes that catalyze the diffusion of O2 and CO2 across respiratory surfaces.
  • D: They are always blue in color and contain copper as their oxygen-binding component.

Explanation

The text explicitly states that respiratory pigments 'greatly increase the amount of O2 that can be carried in the circulatory fluid' and 'consist of a metal bound to a protein'. This allows animals to meet high metabolic demands by efficiently transporting oxygen despite its low solubility in water.