BIOL 112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Carbonic Anhydrase, Lipid Bilayer, Cell Membrane

• School: McGill University
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOL 112
• Professor: All

Document Summary

And dona ing hydrogen ions o he sol ion when hey have been deple ed. Mos b ffers are weak acids or weak bases ha combine reversibly wi h hydrogen ions. Any significan devia ion in ph may ca se h-bonds o r p re in he body"s macromolec les, dena ring pro eins and ca sing dea h. The carbona e b ffer is he principal b ffering molec le in blood. In h man blood b ffers main ain he blood ph be ween 7. 35 and 7. 45. If he blood ph drops o 7 or rises o 7. 8 a person can" s rvive for more han a few min es. The carbona e b ffer exis s as a conj ga e base pair (carbonic acid, bicarbona e ion). An enzyme, carbonic anhydrase allows he eq a ion o move from one form o ano her ins an ly.