Buffering of Hydrogen ions?????? (1 Viewer)

[georgechah1]

haemoglobin buffers hydrogen ions when it is too concerntrated in the blood.....what does that mean...

 

[Dr_Doom]

I think it means it neutralizes it so there is an optimum pH.

 

[phil2010]

haemoglobin buffers hydrogen ions when it is too concerntrated in the blood.....what does that mean...

A buffer is something that keeps the concentration of (say) H+ ions constant. For example if the [H+] gets too high the pH drops and the blood gets too acidic. A buffer stops this from happening.

 

[arheniz]

hydrogen ions increase the acidity of the blood so a buffer is there to minimise the change in pH, so if a system becomes too alkaline it'll bounce it a bit the other way to keep the pH relatively stable..without the buffer our system would be screwed (enzymes would denature, metabolism would basically stop)..but as far as i knew the buffer in the blood was carbonic acid and the hydrogen carbonate ion..not sure about the haemoglobin, but i could be wrong there

 

[Dr_Doom]

Well haemoglobin has to carry the carbon dioxide, so it could determine how much is to be filtered out of the kidney.

 

[arheniz]

Well haemoglobin has to carry the carbon dioxide, so it could determine how much is to be filtered out of the kidney.

oh yeah..whoops, haemoglobin does carry the CO2 ...except the CO2 is filtered out through the lungs

 

[Dr_Doom]

and the kidneys as bicarbonate ions

 

[arheniz]

and the kidneys as bicarbonate ions

memo to self: redo entire maintaining a balance topic by tomorrow morning