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Acid–base homeostasis is the homeostatic regulation of the pH of the body's extracellular fluid (ECF). [1] The proper balance between the acids and bases (i.e. the pH) in the ECF is crucial for the normal physiology of the body—and for cellular metabolism. [1]
Intracellular pH (pH i) is the measure of the acidity or basicity (i.e., pH) of intracellular fluid. The pH i plays a critical role in membrane transport and other intracellular processes. In an environment with the improper pH i , biological cells may have compromised function.
The tears are unique among body fluids in that they are exposed to the environment. Much like other body fluids, tear fluid is kept in a tight pH range using the bicarbonate buffer system. [15] The pH of tears shift throughout a waking day, rising "about 0.013 pH units/hour" until a prolonged closed-eye period causes the pH to fall again. [15]
The use of acidosis for a low pH creates an ambiguity in its meaning. The difference is important where a patient has factors causing both acidosis and alkalosis, wherein the relative severity of both determines whether the result is a high, low, or normal pH. [citation needed] Alkalemia occurs at a pH over 7.45.
Acid–base imbalance is an abnormality of the human body's normal balance of acids and bases that causes the plasma pH to deviate out of the normal range (7.35 to 7.45). In the fetus, the normal range differs based on which umbilical vessel is sampled (umbilical vein pH is normally 7.25 to 7.45; umbilical artery pH is normally 7.18 to 7.38). [1]
Therefore, pH values on the different scales cannot be compared directly because of differences in the solvated proton ions, such as lyonium ions, which require an insolvent scale that involves the transfer activity coefficient of hydronium/lyonium ion. pH is an example of an acidity function, but others can be defined.
Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. [1] A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology , biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology , enzymology , and metabolism .
The Henderson–Hasselbalch equation can be used to model these equilibria. It is important to maintain this pH of 7.4 to ensure enzymes are able to work optimally. [10] Life threatening Acidosis (a low blood pH resulting in nausea, headaches, and even coma, and convulsions) is due to a lack of functioning of enzymes at a low pH. [10]