Functions of Respiratory Pigments

As you have learnt in the preceding sub-sections, the pigments are the carrier of oxygen. In the nonexistence of respiratory pigments the blood can carry oxygen only in solution as in water or saline and the amount carried will be extremely low. All the pigments depict great affinity towards oxygen along with which they can combine at high partial pressure and dissociate at low partial pressure. So these pigments as well show reversibility in their action.

Respiratory pigments found in tissues such as muscles may also serve the function of storage of oxygen. In addition, they work as buffers, increasing the capacity of blood to carry carbon dioxide.