Question

Hamburger’s phenomenon is also called as
A) $HCO_3$ shift
B) Chloride shift
C) Hydrogen shift
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: It is a mechanism that occurs in the cardiovascular system and refers to the exchange of bicarbonate $(HCO_3^{-})$ and chloride (Cl^{-}) through red blood cell membranes (RBCs). The Hamburger phenomenon, named after Hartog Jakob Hamburger.

Complete answer:
The process by which chloride ions diffuse through erythrocytes to maintain ionic equilibrium is known as the chloride change or Hamburger's phenomenon. The flow of chloride ions from plasma through red blood cells as a result of carbon dioxide transfer from tissues to plasma, and this mechanism helps to keep blood pH stable.

Importance of Hamburger shift: The Hamburger shift allows the plasma to be used as a bicarbonate storage site without altering the electrical charge of the plasma or the red blood cell.

The Hamburger phenomenon is another name for chloride transfer. This is a mechanism that occurs in the cardiovascular system and relates to the exchange of bicarbonate and chloride through red blood cell membranes. The process by which chloride ions diffuse through erythrocytes to maintain ionic equilibrium is known as the chloride change or Hamburger's phenomenon.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘B’.

Note: The chloride shift is an ion exchange that occurs in our red blood cells to ensure that no electric charge builds up during the gas exchange. Cells within our tissues emit a large number of carbon dioxide molecules, which are eventually released by the cell and migrate to the blood plasma.