Bicarbonate

Question 1

what’s the formula that makes bicarbonate

Answer 1

water + CO2 = HCO3 + H+

Question 2

what does pH approximate

Answer 2

HCO3 / pCO2

Question 3

What the kidney does

Answer 3

• Bicarbonate filtration
• Bicarbonate reabsorption
• Bicarbonate regeneration by: 
– Titratable acid excretion
– Ammonium excretion

Question 4

bicarbonate regeneration is by two processes

Answer 4

titrate acid excretion

ammonium excretion

Question 5

buffers in urine

Answer 5

• urate
• creatinine
• beta-hydroxybutyrate

Question 6

ammonium excretion

Answer 6

Glutamine - taken up by renal tubule, converted to glucose or co2 and water and ammonium is the by product which is excreted into the urine and this process uses up protons

Question 7

where glutamine formed

Answer 7

liver and the muscles and is triggered by a decrease in pH

Question 8

Respiratory acidaemia

Answer 8

1. Rise in pCO2
2. Parallel change inside the renal tubule cells
3. Intracellular acidaemia
4. Increases uptake & use of glutamine & hence ammonium excretion
5. Increasing bicarbonate regeneration
6. Low intracellular pH increases tubular proton secretion and ensures optimum reabsorption of bicarbonate

Question 9

Respiratory alkalaemia

Answer 9

1. Fall in pCO2
2. Parallel change inside the renal tubule cells
3. Intracellular rise in pH
4. Proton secretion falls
5. Bicarbonate reabsorption rfalls

Question 10

What happens when kidney function is impaired?

Answer 10

• AKI & CKI
• Damage to glomerulus & tubule
• Will result in metabolic acidaemia
• Decrease in ammonium secretion by tubule