<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
  • Identify the most powerful buffer system in the body
  • Explain the way in which the respiratory system affects blood pH

Proper physiological functioning depends on a very tight balance between the concentrations of acids and bases in the blood. Acid-balance balance is measured using the pH scale, as shown in [link] . A variety of buffering systems permits blood and other bodily fluids to maintain a narrow pH range, even in the face of perturbations. A buffer is a chemical system that prevents a radical change in fluid pH by dampening the change in hydrogen ion concentrations in the case of excess acid or base. Most commonly, the substance that absorbs the ions is either a weak acid, which takes up hydroxyl ions, or a weak base, which takes up hydrogen ions.

The ph scale

This table gives examples of solutions from PH of zero to 14. Examples of solutions with a PH of zero include battery acid and strong hydrofluoric acid. An example of a solution with a pH of one is the hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach lining. Examples of solutions with a PH of two include lemon juice and vinegar. Examples of solutions with a PH of three include grapefruit juice, orange juice and soda. Examples of solutions with a PH of four include tomato juice and acid rain. Examples of solutions with a PH of five include soft drinking water and black coffee. Examples of solutions with a PH of  six include urine and saliva. An example of a solution with a PH of seven is pure water. An example of a solution with a PH of eight is sea water. An example of a solution with a PH of nine is baking soda. Examples of solutions with a PH of ten  include saline lake water and milk of magnesia. An example of a solution with a PH of eleven is an ammonia solution. An example of a solution with a PH of twelve is soapy water. Examples of solutions with a PH of  thirteen include bleach and oven cleaner. An example of a solution with a PH of fourteen is liquid drain cleaner.
This chart shows where many common substances fall on the pH scale.

Buffer systems in the body

The buffer systems in the human body are extremely efficient, and different systems work at different rates. It takes only seconds for the chemical buffers in the blood to make adjustments to pH. The respiratory tract can adjust the blood pH upward in minutes by exhaling CO 2 from the body. The renal system can also adjust blood pH through the excretion of hydrogen ions (H + ) and the conservation of bicarbonate, but this process takes hours to days to have an effect.

The buffer systems functioning in blood plasma include plasma proteins, phosphate, and bicarbonate and carbonic acid buffers. The kidneys help control acid-base balance by excreting hydrogen ions and generating bicarbonate that helps maintain blood plasma pH within a normal range. Protein buffer systems work predominantly inside cells.

Protein buffers in blood plasma and cells

Nearly all proteins can function as buffers. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which contain positively charged amino groups and negatively charged carboxyl groups. The charged regions of these molecules can bind hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, and thus function as buffers. Buffering by proteins accounts for two-thirds of the buffering power of the blood and most of the buffering within cells.

Hemoglobin as a buffer

Hemoglobin is the principal protein inside of red blood cells and accounts for one-third of the mass of the cell. During the conversion of CO 2 into bicarbonate, hydrogen ions liberated in the reaction are buffered by hemoglobin, which is reduced by the dissociation of oxygen. This buffering helps maintain normal pH. The process is reversed in the pulmonary capillaries to re-form CO 2 , which then can diffuse into the air sacs to be exhaled into the atmosphere. This process is discussed in detail in the chapter on the respiratory system.

Phosphate buffer

Phosphates are found in the blood in two forms: sodium dihydrogen phosphate ( Na 2 H 2 PO 4 ), which is a weak acid, and sodium monohydrogen phosphate ( Na 2 HPO 4 2- ), which is a weak base. When Na 2 HPO 4 2- comes into contact with a strong acid, such as HCl, the base picks up a second hydrogen ion to form the weak acid Na 2 H 2 PO 4 and sodium chloride, NaCl. When Na 2 HPO 4 2 (the weak acid) comes into contact with a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the weak acid reverts back to the weak base and produces water. Acids and bases are still present, but they hold onto the ions.

Questions & Answers

summarize halerambos & holbon
David Reply
the Three stages of Auguste Comte
Clementina Reply
what are agents of socialization
Antonio Reply
sociology of education
Nuhu Reply
definition of sociology of education
Nuhu
what is culture
Abdulrahim Reply
shared beliefs, values, and practices
AI-Robot
What are the two type of scientific method
ogunniran Reply
I'm willing to join you
Aceng Reply
what are the scientific method of sociology
Man
what is socialization
ogunniran Reply
the process wherein people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society's beliefs, and to be aware of societal values
AI-Robot
scientific method in doing research
ogunniran
defimition of sickness in afica
Anita
Cosmology
ogunniran
Hmmm
ogunniran
list and explain the terms that found in society
REMMY Reply
list and explain the terms that found in society
Mukhtar
what are the agents of socialization
Antonio
Family Peer group Institution
Abdulwajud
I mean the definition
Antonio
ways of perceived deviance indifferent society
Naomi Reply
reasons of joining groups
SAM
to bring development to the nation at large
Hyellafiya
entails of consultative and consensus building from others
Gadama
World first Sociologist?
Abu
What is evolutionary model
Muhammad Reply
Evolution models refer to mathematical and computational representations of the processes involved in biological evolution. These models aim to simulate and understand how species change over time through mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation. Evolutionary models can be u
faruk
what are the modern trends in religious behaviours
Selekeye Reply
what are social norms
Daniel Reply
shared standards of acceptable behavior by the group or appropriate behavior in a particular institution or those behaviors that are acceptable in a society
Lucius
that is how i understood it
Lucius
examples of societal norms
Diamond
Discuss the characteristics of the research located within positivist and the interpretivist paradigm
Tariro Reply
what is Industrialisation
Selekeye Reply
industrialization
Angelo
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax CNX. Feb 04, 2016 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11496/1.8
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Anatomy & Physiology' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask