The oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve is vital for comprehending how blood transports and releases oxygen (seeFigure. Hemoglobin Dissociation Curve). Oxygen is carried throughout the body primarily by a protein molecule, hemoglobin, in red blood cells. Oxygen can also be carried throughout the body by dissolving in blood plasma, but this dissolved portion only constitutes a small portion of the total amount of oxygen transported in the bloodstream. Only 2% of oxygen in the bloodstream is dissolved directly in the plasma component of blood compared to 98% of oxygen in the protein-bound state to hemoglobin. It is important to note the difference between oxygen saturation (SaO₂), which is the percentage of hemoglobin bound to oxygen, and partial pressure of oxygen in the blood (PaO₂), which is the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood. The oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve helps describe the relationship between these 2 important concepts.

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