BIO 12D Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Brainstem, Respiratory Acidosis, Extracellular Fluid
3 Dec 2020
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The body regulates free h+ concentrations by buffers, the respiratory system and the kidneys. A buffer is any molecule that can reversibly bind or release free h+, thereby reducing the amount of free h+ in solution and stabilizing the ph. Buffers do not prevent ph from changing, they only help to minimize any ph change until the free h+ can be removed by the lungs or kidneys. Intracellular buffers include phosphates and intracellular proteins like hemoglobin. The most powerful extracellular buffer is the bicarbonate ion hco3- Hb can reversibly bind with free h+ to help stabilize the acidity inside the red blood cells. Hemoglobin can also bind co2 to reduce the potential acidity should the co2 combine with h2) to form carbonic acid h2co3. One of its primary functions is to remove co2 (acid source), keeping the levels of gas relatively constant and consequently helping to keep the ph of the blood constant.
