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Physiological Sciences 2
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University
1 Images provided by Saladin, K. (2012). Anatomy & Physiology: the unity of formSchool
and function
of Biomedical Sciences
Learning Objectives
pH scale
Buffers
• Buffer—any mechanism that resists changes in pH
• Convert strong acids or bases to weak ones
• 7.35 to 7.45 is the normal pH range of blood and tissue fluid
• Physiological buffer—system that controls output of acids, bases, or CO2
• Urinary system buffers greatest quantity of acid or base
• Takes several hours to days to exert its effect
• Respiratory system buffers within minutes
• Cannot alter pH as much as the urinary system
Chemical buffer systems
• restore normal pH in fractions of a second
• bicarbonate, phosphate and protein systems bind H+ and transport H+ to an
exit (kidney/lung)
• Maintaining acid–base balance is a constant challenge to homeostasis as
metabolism constantly produces acid
The Relationship of
Bicarbonate–Carbonic Acid
Ratio to pH
• Physiological pH is
normally within pH
7.35 and 7.45.
• When your pH is less
than 7.35 you are in a
state of acidosis. If it
gets down to 6.8 then
you are in trouble.
• If it gets up to 8.0
(alkalosis), then you
are also in trouble.
10 School of Biomedical Sciences
Learning Objectives
Renal Control of pH
• Most powerful buffer system (but slow response)
• Renal tubule cells secrete H+ into tubular fluid, then excreted in urine
Renal Control of pH
• Tubular secretion of H+ continues only with a concentration gradient of H+ between
tubule cells and tubular fluid
• If H+ concentration in tubular fluid, lowering pH of tubular fluid to 4.5,
secretion of H+ stops from the tubule cells
This is prevented by
buffers in tubular fluid
•bicarbonate system
•phosphate system
Na2HPO4 + H+ NaH2PO4 +
Na+
•ammonia (NH3), from amino
acid catabolism
NH3 + H+ and Cl- NH4Cl
(NH4Cl = ammonium chloride)
• Metabolic alkalosis
• Rare, but can result
from:
• Overuse of bicarbonates
(antacids and IV
bicarbonate solutions)
• Loss of stomach acid
(chronic vomiting)
• pH increased
• Initially symptoms
include nausea, tremors Google images “metabolic alkalosis”
and numbness
17 School of Biomedical Sciences
4. State types & causes of acidosis/alkalosis & describe effects of the pH imbalances
Alkalosis
• H+ diffuses out of cells and K+ diffuses in,