Biology 105
Biology of Exercise
Spring 2003

4/23/03 - Pre-class outline

Learning objectives:

How do human respond to altitude exposure?

Diagrams

• Capillary function
• Oxygen levels at altitude
• Hemoglobin - oxygen dissociation curve.

Oxygen levels at altitude

• Advantages to breathing oxygen
• Effect on pulmonary capillaries - development of pulmonary edema.

Short history of climbing Mt. Everest.

• In 1999, height of Mt. Everest measured to be 29,035 ft
• First successfully climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
• 1978 climbed w/o oxygen by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler
• Now, climbed by many each year.

Response to altitude

• Acute responses.
• Acclimation over weeks and months of exposure.