[The oxygen affinity of hemoglobin in the reindeer Rangifer tarandus before and after labor].

It has been demonstrated that the affinity of hemoglobin to oxygen in the reindeer Rangifer tarandus decreases with ageing. The value of P50 for hemoglobin of 2-3 month foetuses is equal to 22.0 +/- 0.8 mm Hg, newborn animals--to 24.5 +/- 0.5 and adult ones--to 28.0 +/- 0.5 mm Hg. After dialysis, these values are equal correspondingly to 12.2 +/- 0.5, 19.3 +/- 0.4 and 23.6 +/- 0.6 mm Hg. Therefore foetal hemoglobin exhibits significantly higher oxygen affinity as compared to the adult type.