Acid-Base Balance Lecture Neal Padmahan Flashcards
Give 4 threats to acid/base homeostasis in the body
• generation of CO2 from aerobic respiration generates carbonic acid
• metabolism of acidic/alkaline foods - metabolism of amino acids great acid
load (eg lysine, arginine, cysteine) or an alkali load (eg glutamate or
aspartate)
protein rich Western diet is acid load
• incomplete (anaerobic) respiration - makes keto-acids, lactic acid
• loss of alkali in stool or loss of acid in vomiting
List the 3 major components of acid-base regulation in the body
• buffering
• ventilation - control of CO2 level
• RENAL regulation of bicarbonate
and H+ secretion and reabsorption
It’s rare that H+ concentration is abnormal for long. Maintenance of H+ conc may be at the expense of what other molecules of blood chemistry?
Bicarbonate ion conc
And partial pressure of CO2
Formula for pH?
pH = -log10 H+
Define buffers?
Weak acids, partially dissociated in solution
Acid base + H+
What is the principle physiological buffer?
The carbon dioxide - bicarbonate system
What is the formula for hydrogen ion concentration of a weak acid?
Acid base + H+
[H+] = K [acid] / [base]
What’s the equation for the CO2-bicarbonate buffer system?
CO2 + H2O H2CO3 HCO3- + H+
Carbonic anhydrase catalyses INTERconversion of CO2 & H2O to bicarbonate and hydrogen ion ^^
What enzyme catalyses INTERconversion of CO2 and H2O to bicarbonate and hydrogen ions?
Carbonic anhydrase
What is the equation for pH the physiological buffer system? (Hasselbach equation)
pH = 6.1 + log ([HCO3-] / [CO2])
What is the purpose of buffers?
To prevent large changes in pH
Why is the CO2 concentration kept constant?
Because CO2 is highly diffusible and the CO2 concentration is regulated by respiration
?
Addition of H+ consumes HCO3 which generates CO2 + H2O
The CO2 is then exhaled and there is little H+
What happens to bicarbonate ions as H+ ions are lost? And why?
Loss of H+ lead to the opposite, generation of HCO3-
This is because there is no H+ to bind with the bicarbonate ion to make H2CO3 so the HCO3- level rises
Is CO2 a volatile or fixed acid?
Volatile
What is meant by a volatile acid?
One that can be eliminated from the body as a GAS
Eg. CO2 - all of which is eliminated by breathing out
What is a fixed acid?
An acid made in the body from sources other than carbon dioxide and is NOT excreted by lungs
What ions are consumed to buffer a weak acid?
Then how is it excreted?
At the expense of what ions?
Buffering a fixed acid consumes bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) but although CO2 will be excreted by ventilation, this will be at the expense of HCO3- so it’s conc will be lowered
To remove H+ effectively more HCO3- must be produced
Regulation of HCO3- conc is the job of the KIDNEYS - where H+ excretion and regeneration of HCO3- are linked
How do the KIDNEYS regulate acid base balance?
• reabsorb filtered HCO3- ions
• secrete FIXED acid
- secrete NON-HCO3- buffer in urine (mainly phosphate ion, PO4 3-)
- secrete NH4+ (ammonium) into urine
Formula for filtration if filtered bicarbonate ions?
[HCO3] x GFR = >4000 mmol/day
Where is most bicarbonate absorbed?
Proximal convoluted tubule
What can result if there is an inability to reabsorb filtered HCO3- ions?
Metabolic acidosis (Proximal tubular acidosis - failure to reabsorb bicarbonate)
Describe the generic mechanism for bicarbonate ion reabsorption?
Including the how it DIFFUSES into cell and what it’s broken down to in cell and where each of the products go and what enzyme is involved
Filtered HCO3- is broken down to water and carbon dioxide by CARBONIC ANHYDRASE (by brush border)
The water and CO2 diffuse from lumen into cell
Inside cell CARBONIC ANHYDRASE converts the water and CO2 into H+ ion and bicarbonate ion
The H+ ion is excreted back into the tubule lumen and the bicarbonate is reabsorb into interstitium then the blood
How much filtered HCO3- should be absorbed?
Almost 100%
How much filtered HCO3- should be absorbed?
Almost 100%
How can kidneys generate new HCO3-? (2 methods)
- excrete ammonium (NH4+) salts in urine
* excrete titratable acids in urine
Is bicarbonate reabsorption active or passive? ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Very active
In bicarbonate reabsorption is there any net loss of H+ or net gain of bicarbonate? ⚠️⚠️⚠️
No
How much fixed acid to we excrete per day?
Approx 70mmol/day
Secreting a fixed acid generates what? ⚠️⚠️⚠️
A new bicarbonate ion
How much fixed acid to we excrete per day?
Approx 70mmol/day
Is bicarbonate reabsorption active or passive? ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Very active
Secreting a fixed acid generates what?
A NEW bicarbonate ion
Secreting a fixed acid generates what?
A new bicarbonate ion
Where is carbonic anhydrase found in renal tubules?
Brush border
Fixed acids are not buffered by bicarbonate ions. What 2 substances can they be buffered by?
Filtered phosphate ions PO4 3- Ammonium ions (NH4+) secreted into urine
Titration of Filtered phosphate ions is dependent on what?
The deliver of filtered buffer so it’s relatively fixed
What happens to ammonium secretion in acidosis?
Unregulated to
Failure to be able to secrete fixed acids can cause what?
Acidosis
Distal tubular acidosis - Inability to excrete hydrogen ions
Difference between 1) proximal tubular acidosis and 2) distal tubular acidosis?
- Failure to reabsorb bicarbonate
2. Failure to secrete hydrogen ions
Describe the secretion of an H+ ion bus neutralisation (?) of phosphate? ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Filtered phosphate HPO4 2- is titration with H ion
The h ion is made in the tubular cell by H2O and CO2 conversion by carbonic anhydrase into a hydrogen ion and bicarbonate ion
The H+ ion is what is excreted into the tubule to titrate the HPO4 2- and he bicarbonate made is reabsrobed into interstitium (then blood)
i.e a bicarbonate has been created by excretion of one H+ ion
Secretion of H+ via glutamine metabolism and resulting excretion of an ammonium ion (NH4+)?
Also involves liver
This is why liver failure patients become acidotic
In PCT glutamine is broken into ammonium NH4+ and HCO
How is acid excreted?
Titration with phosphate
Or excretion of ammonium