Disorders of Acid-Base Regulation Flashcards
Give the Henderson Hasselbach Equation.
pH = 6.1 + log (([HCO3-]) / (0.03 *pCO2))
The 0.03 is based on dissolved carbonic acid, and varies with the elevation
What is the difference between a volatile and nonvolatile acid? Give some examples of the latter.
Volatile - potential acid which can be evaporated. I.e. CO2 from daily metabolism
Nonvolatile - acids which cannot be evaporated.
Examples:
Sulfur-containing amino acids -> degrade to sulfuric acid
positively charged AA -> HCl
Phosphates also contribute -> phosphoric acid
negatively charged AA and organic anions -> produce bicarbonate, which buffers some of this.
Why do we need to keep making HCO3-? How does the kidney function in this?
We make about 1 mEq/kg/day of nonvolatile acids which need to be buffered by bicarbonate system.
When they are buffered, they rapidly form CO2 gas which is loss (volatile gas). This HCO3- then needs to be replaced. Kidney functions to excrete the sodium salts that are made from this conversion and replenish the HCO3- by secreting acid EXACTLY EQUAL to the nonvolatile acid produced, and reclaim filtered HCO3-.
What is total H+ secretion by the tubules equal to? (sum of other H+ secretions)?
Total H+ secretion = H+(HCO3-) + H+(NH4+) + H+(TA)
H+ total = H+ for reabsorption of bicarbonate + H+ in the form of NH4 + H+ in another titratable acid
What is the net acid secretion then / how is it calculated?
Net acid secretion = [(Excreted NH4 + Excreted TA)] - [Excreted HCO3-]
Excreted HCO3- is bicarbonate which wasn’t reabsorbed
Excretion can be calculated by the urinary concentration of the substance times the urine flow rate
What are the transporters which help reabsorb bicarbonate in the proximal tubule on both the apical and basolateral membranes?
Apical - H+-ATPase (Vacuolar), Na/H exchanger
Basolateral - 3HCO3/Na cotransporter (driven by relatively positive ECF), HCO3-/Cl- antiporter (AE1)
What is the function of carbonic anhydrase in the proximal tubule?
Speeds formation of CO2 + H2O which would normally be very slow after formation of carbonic acid (rate limiting step)
This facilitates reabsorption of carbon dioxide and water rapidly into the cell, where carbonic anhydrase inside can reform HCO3-.
What is the mechanism of reabsorption of bicarbonate in the TALH?
Same as in proximal tubule, just with less carbonic anhydrase on the apical membrane, making it slower
What cell is responsible for acidifying the urine? What apical transporters does it do this with?
Alpha-intercalated cell, relatively impermeable to H+ aside from transporter -> can bring urine pH down to 4.0
V-ATPase (H-ATPase) on apical surface
+
H,K-ATPase - the exchanger
These can be used to reabsorb existing bicarbonate from the tubule lumen
What is the function of the beta intercalated cell and what transporter does it have at the apical and basolateral membranes?
For secretion of bicarbonate (bases) in the lumen, rarely needed except in vegans who can have base excess. Basically a mirror image of an alpha intercalated cell.
Apical transporter - Pendrin** - functions like AE1/AE2 but not the same. HCO3- out with Cl- in.
Basolateral transporter - V-ATPase, pumps H+ out. Cl- also passively reabsorbed into blood.
Why is a non-bicarbonate buffer needed to generate new base (new HCO3-)?
If it was bicarbonate, H+ would be pumped into the lumen and combine with HCO3- and form CO2, which is another acid. We will have effectively reabsorbed that acid.
In this case, H+ stays in the lumen and the bicarbonate generated by carbonic anhydrase from this isn’t matched by the degradation of one in the tubular lumen. This allows that acid to be ACTUALLY EXCRETED in the urine
What are the two most important non-bicarbonate buffer systems? Where do they come from?
NH3/NH4+ = produced by kidneys, regulated by acid-base status -> makes up the majority of net acid excretion
HPO4-2/H2PO4- = titratable acid derived from diet, filtered at glomerulus, does not change with acid-base status
Where and how is ammonia made in the nephron? How does this help us excrete acid?
Glutamine is converted to alpha-ketoglutarate and two NH4+ in the proximal tubule via the enzyme phosphate dependent glutaminase (PDG), or only one by glutamine deamidase
Each NH4+ is secreted into the lumen in the place of H+ for the Na/H exchanger
The two NH4+ forms two bicarbonate which leave at basolateral membrane
What does the TALH do with ammonium?
Reabsorbs it via the NKCC transport, substituting for K+
Then, NH4+ leaves substituting for K again with the Na/K ATPase or normal K+ channel (wants to go out)
-> concentrates the medullary interstitium
What happens to NH4 in the medullary interstitium / how is it uptaken by the collecting duct?
NH3 / NH4+ is in equilibrium
It is taken up by the alpha-intercalated cell by one of two mechanisms:
1. Na/K ATPase in place of K
2. Rhcg channel (protein is in Rh antigen family)
Then is secreted into tubular lumen by Rhcg channel
NH3 will be again protonated by H+ secreted by alpha intercalated cell, finally resulting in a complete loss of acid.
What happens if the NH3 in the medullary intersitium does not re-enter the alpha intercalated cell to be excreted?
ammonia will enter bloodstream and be made into urea and secreted, the H+ it was carrying will never be lost, and there is no net acid secretion.
-> secretion by alpha intercalated cell is critical for maintaining acid-base balance
How does systemic pH affect the action of the NH3/NH4 system?
low pH stimulates proximal tubule glutamine deamidase
high pH inhibits it
-> secrete more acid in the form of NH4+ when you need to.
How do plasma potassium levels affect the NH3/NH4 system?
Hypokalemia - stimulates NH4+ production and increases Rhcg expression, and stimulates H+,K+ ATPase (hypokalemia will predispose to alkalosis)
Hyperkalemia - does opposite, inhibits NH4+ production (hyperkalemia will predispose to acidosis)
How do ECF expansion and ECF contraction alter bicarbonate reabsorption?
ECF expansion - lowers bicarbonate absorption by lowering proximal tubule Na reabsorption (time for Na/H activity at high volumes)
ECF contraction - increases bicarbonate and sodium reabsorption
What is the mechanism of increased or decreased normal (not NEW) bicarbonate reabsorption in response to alkalosis or acidosis?
Acidosis - more bicarbonate reabsorption
Alkalosis - less bicarbonate reabsorption
Mechanism - lower intracellular pH of alpha-intercalated cell favors secretion of H+ (lower cell-to-lumen gradient to push against via ATPase), and thus bicarbonate reabsorption
How does aldosterone stimulate H+ secretion (bicarbonate reabsorption)?
Directly -> stimulates H+ secretion by alpha intercalated cells
Indirectly -> stimulates Na+ reabsorption by principle cells, generating a negative lumen potential, which favors secretion of H+ by alpha intercalated cells
How does increasing angiotensin II affect bicarbonate reabsorption? How does this mechanism relate to blood pCO2 as well?
Directly increases number of proximal tubule Na/H exchangers, which increases H+ secretion and hence HCO3- reabsorption
-> increased pCO2 does the exact same thing
-> this is the mechanism responsible for contraction alkalosis (more bicarbonate absorption than usual when AT2 levels are high)
What is acidosis vs acidemia?
Acidosis - a process which, if left unopposed, will lead to acidemia
Acidemia - drop in pH below 7.35 (7.40 in Rossi’s world)
What is the difference between a metabolic and a respiratory acid-base disorder?
Metabolic - characterized by a PRIMARY change in HCO3-
Respiratory - characterized by a PRIMARY change in pCO2
How do plasma HCO3- levels change in respiratory acidosis (not yet compensated) and why?
Plasma levels rise -> carbonic reaction is driven to the left because of addition of pCO2.
How is acid-base buffered in the body intracellular / extracellular outside of the bicarbonate system?
H+ buffered by hemoglobin, as well as phosphates and plasma proteins
What is the renal compensation of metabolic or respiratory acidosis?
Stimulation of tubular H+ secretion
- > enhanced reabsorption of filtered HCO3-
- > Increased net acid excretion via production of ammonia
- > HCO3- will return pH back to normal
What is it more difficult for the kidney to compensate conditions of alkalosis?
- Inhibition of tubular H+ secretion may be overridden by ECF concern -> want to take up as many ions as possible
- Reduction of HCO3- secretion is difficult for the reason mentioned above
- Metabolic alkalosis often accompanied by hypokalemia -> stimulates acid secretion and further predisposes to alkalosis
How is the compensatory fall in pCO2 for metabolic acidosis calculated?
Fall in pCO2 = 1.0 -1.3 mmHg * (fall in HCO3-)
HCO3- is assumed to be 25 mEq/L at baseline
pCO2 is assumed to be 40 mmHg at baseline
What causes an increased vs a normal plasma anion gap acidosis, conceptually?
Increased - addition or production of an acid which leaves an unmeasured anion in the blood
Normal - caused by addition of HCl (Cl- is measured in blood), or primary loss in HCO3- (excretion of HCO3- is paired with reabsorption of Cl-)