gas transport

physiology

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June 29, 2026

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Gas transport in physiology refers to the movement of respiratory gases, primarily oxygen and carbon dioxide, between the air in the lungs and the body's tissues. This process occurs through convection (mass flow) for air and blood movement, and diffusion, driven by differences in partial pressures, for gas exchange across membranes.123

The lungs provide a vast surface area for efficient gas exchange between alveoli and pulmonary capillaries. Oxygen is mainly transported bound to hemoglobin within red blood cells, while carbon dioxide has a more complex transport system, with a small portion dissolved in plasma and the remainder converted into bicarbonate ions or bound to proteins. The efficiency of gas transport is also influenced by blood circulation rate, determined by heart output.123

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human respiratory system
Gas exchange
Respiratory gases move between the environment and the respiring tissues by two principal mechanisms, convection and diffusion. Convection, or mass flow, is responsible for movement of air from the environment into the lungs and for movement of blood between the lungs and the
Read More
Respiratory gases move between the environment and the respiring tissues by two principal mechanisms, convection and diffusion. Convection, or mass flow, is responsible for movement of air from the environment into the lungs and for movement of blood between the lungs and the
Read More