Homeostasis and

Buffer System of Body

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atif Amin Baig

,
Faculty of Medical Sciences,
University Sultan Zainal Abidin.
atifamin@unisza.edu.my
Recall
1. Difference between Thermodynamic, energetics & Bioenergetics.

2. The basic laws of thermodynamics.

3. Explain the Gibb’s free energy concept and the Standard free energy change.

4. Equilibrium and Energy.

5. Understand the quantitative relationships among free energy, enthalpi and entropy

6. Energetics Coupling and its principles.

7. Define and list high and low energy compounds.

8. Principles that make some bonds “high energy”.

9. Differences between catabolic and anabolic processes.

Learning Outcomes
 Basic definitions of acid and base?

 Water as an acid or base?

 What is a pH and its biological/clinical importance?

 What is homeostasis and how is it related to pH?

 Role of pH homeostasis in cell maintenance and its

surroundings?

 Role of Diffusion and Osmosis in maintaining Homeostasis?

 Concept of Buffers and Buffer systems in human body?

What is An Acid?

 Organic or inorganic molecule which:

 Donates Hydrogen Ions in Water

 Donates Proton in water or Solution

Examples : Hydrochloric acid ( strong), Acetic acid (week).

Types of Acids
 Depending on potential to donate Hydrogen ions or protons

 Strong Acids Vs weak acids

 Depending on metabolism

 Volatile Vs non volatile acids.

Dissociation Coefficient of Acids
 Quantitative strength of acid in solution.

 Symbolizes as Ka

 HA + H2O  A + H3O+

 Ka = [Product A] x [Product B]/ [Educt A] x [Educt B]

 pKa = -log10Ka

 Strong acids have low pKa (less than -2)

 Weak acids have high pKa

What is a Base?

 Are organic or inorganic substance which

 Accepts hydrogen ions when dissolve them in water

 Accept proton in water or the solvent

 Examples : Sodium hydroxide ( strong), Sodium bicarbonate(week).
Types of Bases
 Depending on potential to donate Hydrogen ions
or protons

 Strong Acids Vs weak acids

Dissociation coefficient of a Base
 Quantitative strength of a base in solution.

 Symbolizes as Kb

 NH3 + H2O  NH4 + OH-

 Kb = [Product C] x [Product D]/ [Educt A] x [Educt B]

 pKb = -log10Kb

 Strong bases have low pKb

 Weak bases have high pKb

What is pH?
 P = Potential

 H = Hydrogen

 Potential for Hydrogen

 Potential for donating Hydrogen

 Potential for Accepting Hydrogen

 pH Scale
 Devised by Sorenson (1902)
 Definition : pH is mathematically defined as negative logarithm of
hydrogen ion concentration(-log10[H+]). It provides a convenient way of
stating H+ and OH- concentrations.

 pH range is from 1.0 to 14.0.

 Neutral pH is 7.0.

 Acidic solutions have pH < 7.0 while basic solutions have pH > 7.0
 pOH = 14- pH
Henderson–Hasselbalch
equation
Relationship of pH and Ionization of Water

H 20 H+ + OH-
H 20 + H 20 H 3O + + OH -

 Keq= [H+] [OH-]

[Keq = 1.8 X 10-16M]
[H2O]
[H2O] Keq = [H+] [OH-]
Molarity of water
[H2O] = 55.5 M
55.5 M )(1.8 X 10-16M)= [H+] [OH-]

1.0 X 10-14 M = [H+] [OH-] = Kw

[ Kw is ionic product of water]

If [H+]=[OH-] then [H+] = 1.0 X 10-7

Thus Neutral pH is -log 1.0 X 10-7 or 7.0

 Question : why are some
acids and bases strong and
some are week????
Ampholytes
 Substances which can functions both as acids and
bases are called as Ampholytes.

 e.g Water,
Water has an acidic property
Water as a base?
 Anion Gap?
 Defined as the difference between total concentration of
measured ions (Na+ and K+) and that of measured
anions (Cl – and HCO3).

A – = (Na+ + K+ ) - (Cl – + HCO3)

 Anion Gap, in fact, represents the unmeasured

anions in plasma.

 Normal range 10-16 mEq/L

 H+ H+
OH- H+ OH- H+
H+ OH-
H+ H + OH- H+
OH- OH- H+
OH- H - OH- H+
+

H+ H +
OH- OH- OH
H+ OH- C
A
H+ OH-
OH-
B
 Buffer

 A solution of weak acid and its conjugate base

which resists a change in pH when small
quantities of an acid or base are added.
 Buffers

Acids
Acids =
< Bases
Bases
Acids > Bases

Acids
Mechanism of Buffer Action
 Neutralization of acids or bases

 The function of the Bicarbonate (conjugate base) is

to neutralize H+ from acids (e.g HCl). The Carbonic
acid in the product adds to the weak acid available.

NaHCO3- + HCl H2CO3 + NaCl

Body Fluids
 Total amount of fluid in the human body is approximately 70%
of body weight

 Body fluid has been divided into two compartments –

 Intracellular fluid (ICF)
 Inside the cells
 55% of total body water
 Extracellular fluid
 Outside the cells
 45% of total body water
Body Fluid Compartments
Extracellular fluid includes
 Interstitial fluid
 Present between the cells
 Approximately 80% of ECF
 Plasma
 Present in blood
 Approximately 20% of ECF
 Also includes
 Lymph
 synovial fluid
 aqueous humor  vitreous body,
 cerebrospinal fluid  endolymph,

 perilymph,

 pleural, pericardial
and peritoneal fluids
Body Fluid Compartments
Barriers separate ICF, interstitial
fluid and plasma

 Plasma membrane
 Separates ICF from surrounding
interstitial fluid

 Blood vessel wall

 Separate interstitial fluid from plasma
Composition of body fluids
 Organic substances  Inorganic substances
 Glucose
 Sodium
 Amino acids
 Potassium
 Fatty acids
 Calcium
 Hormones
 Magnesium
 Enzymes
 Chloride
 Phosphate
 Sulphate
Difference between ECF and ICF

 ECF
 Most abundant cation - Na+,
 muscle contraction
 Impulse transmission
 fluid and electrolyte balance
 ICF
 Most abundant cation - K+
 Resting membrane potential
 Action potentials
 Maintains intracellular volume
 Regulation of pH

 Most abundant anion - Cl-

 Regulates osmotic pressure  Anion are proteins and
 Forms HCl in gastric acid phosphates (HPO42-)

Na+ /K+ pumps play major role in keeping K+ high inside cells and Na+
high outside cell
Sodium Na+

 Most abundant ion in ECF

 90% of extracellular cations
 Plays pivotal role in fluid and electrolyte balance as it accounts for half of
the osmolarity of ECF
Chloride Cl-

 Most prevalent anion in ECF

 Moves easily between ECF and ICF because most plasma membranes
contain Cl- leakage channels and transporters
 Can help balance levels of anions in different fluids
Bicarbonate HCO3-

 Second most prevalent extracellular anion

 Concentration increases in blood passing through systemic
capillaries picking up carbon dioxide
 Chloride shift helps maintain correct balance of anions in ECF and
ICF
Potassium K+

 Most abundant cation in ICF

 Establish resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers
 Maintains normal ICF fluid volume
 Helps regulate pH of body fluids when exchanged for H+
Magnesium

 Mg2+ in ICF (45%) or ECF (1%)

 Second most common intracellular cation
 Cofactor for certain enzymes and sodium-potassium pump
 Essential for synaptic transmission, normal neuromuscular activity and
myocardial function
Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
 Fluid is in a balance when the amount of water gained
(e.g. through the digestive system) each day equals the
amount of fluid lost (e.g. through urinary system, sweat
glands) each day
 Electrolyte balance
 The ion gain each day equals the ion loss
 Electrolytes are ions released through the dissociation
of inorganic compounds
Acid- Base Balance
 H+ gain is offset by their loss

 When acid–base balance exists, the pH of body fluids remains

within normal limits (7.35-7.45).
 No receptors directly monitor fluid or electrolyte balance.

 However fluid and electrolyte can be monitored by responding to changes in

plasma volume or osmotic concentrations

 All water moves passively in response to osmotic gradients

 Body content of water or electrolytes rises if intake exceeds outflow
The importance of pH control

The pH of the ECF remains between 7.35 and 7.45

 If plasma levels fall below 7.35 (acidemia), acidosis results

 If plasma levels rise above 7.45 (alkalemia), alkalosis
results
 Alteration outside these boundaries affects all body
systems e.g. can result in coma, cardiac failure, and
circulatory collapse
 Common Acids

 Carbonic acid is most important factor affecting pH of ECF

 CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid
 Inverse relationship between pH and concentration of CO2
Mechanisms of pH control

 Buffer system consists of a weak acid and its anion

 Three major buffering systems:
 Protein buffer system
 Amino acid
 Hemoglobin buffer system
 H+ are buffered by hemoglobin
 Carbonic acid-bicarbonate
 Buffers changes caused by organic and fixed acids
 Protein buffer system

 If pH climbs, the carboxyl group of amino acid acts as a weak acid

 If the pH drops, the amino group acts as a weak base

 Hemoglobin buffer system

 Prevents pH changes when PCO2 is rising or falling
 Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate
Buffering System
 Carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffer system
 CO2 + H2O  H2CO3  H+ + CO3–

 Has the following limitations:

 Cannot protect the ECF from pH changes due to increased or depressed CO2
levels
 Only functions when respiratory system and control centers are working
normally
 It is limited by availability of bicarbonate ions (bicarbonate reserve)
The Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate
Buffer System
 Maintenance of acid-base
balance
 Lungs help regulate pH through carbonic acid - bicarbonate
buffer system

 Changing respiratory rates changes PCO2

 Respiratory compensation

 Kidneys help regulate pH through renal compensation

The Central Role of the Carbonic
Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer System
in the Regulation of Plasma pH
Acid-Base Imbalances
 pH< 7.35 acidosis

 pH > 7.45 alkalosis

 The body response to acid-base imbalance is

called compensation

 May be complete if brought back within normal

limits

 Partial compensation if range is still outside norms.

 Metabolic Vs Respiratory Compensation?

Acidosis and Alkalosis

Acidosis
 A condition in which the blood has too much
acid (or too little base), frequently resulting in a
decrease in blood pH

Alkalosis
 A condition in which the blood has too much
base (or too little acid), occasionally resulting in
an increase in blood pH
 Acidosis
 A decrease in a normal 20:1 base to
acid ratio
 An increase in the number of
hydrogen ions
(ex: ratio of 20:2 translated to 10:1)
 A decrease in the number of bicarbonate ions (ex: ratio of 10:1)
 Caused by too much acid or too little base

ACID BASE
 Alkalosis
 An increase in the normal 20:1 base to acid ratio

 A decrease in the number of hydrogen ions

(ex: ratio of 20:0.5 translated to 40:1)
 An increase in the number of bicarbonate ions (ex: ratio of 40:1)
 Caused by base excess or acid deficit

ACID BASE
What is Homeostasis?
 Homoios  Similar

 Stasis  Standing still

 It is a property of a system in which variables are

regulated so that internal condition of the system
remain stable and relatively constant.
Assignments
1. Handerson Hasselbalch Equation

2. Hemoglobin as a buffer and chloride shift

3. List of weak and strong acid and bases in human body

4. Differential Diagnosis of Acidosis and Alkalosis

What you have to do NOW?
 On a piece of paper write:

1. 3 points to summarize the lecture

2. Any 2 questions about what you didn’t understand?

Submit to your class representative