SM 200a/201a - Acid Base Flashcards
(51 cards)
What is Pendrin?
Which cells contain it?
Pendrin is an HCO3-/Cl- exchanger on the apical membrane of beta-intercalated cells of the collecting duct (secrete bicarb), and the basolateral membrane of alpha-intercalated cells of the collecting duct (reabsorb bicarb)
It functions to get HCO3- out of the cell, and Cl- into the cell
What is the effect of angiotensin II on HCO3- reabsorption and acid excretion?
Angiotensin II stimulates bicarbonate reabsorption and acid excretion
Angiotensin II -> kidney works to increase pH
(Angiotensin II is secreted in response to signals that indicate low volume; low volume -> hypoperfusion -> lactic acidosis -> decreased serum pH; kidney reacts by retaining bicarb and excreting acid)
What is citrate?
What is its role in acid-base balance?
Citrate is an organic anion
Citrate reabsorption is equivalent to base retention
- Main urinary base
- Reabsorbed and converted to CO2 and H2O
- This consumes H+ and generates OH-
- Chelates Ca2+
- Prevents precipitation with phosphate and oxalate ->
- *prevents kidney stones**

How does NH3 get across the membranes of the kidney tubule?
Diffusion
- Proximal convluted tubule
- Diffuses into the lumen
- Binds to H+ and becomes trapped
- Reabsorbed and recycled in the Loop of Henle
- Medullary collecting duct
- Diffuses into lumen
- Binds to H+ and becomes trapped and excreted
What is the differential for anion-gap metabolic acidosis?
MUDPILES: Acid add-on state
- Methanol
- Uremia
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (any ketoacidosis)
- Phenformin, paracetamol/acetaminophen, paraldehyde
- Iron, Isoniazid, Inborn errors of metabolism
- Lactic acidosis
- Ethanol/Ethylene glycol
- Saliclates/ASA/Aspirin
What is the Henderson-Hasselbach Equation for Biarbonate/Carbonic acid?

What acid-base transporters in the cell membrane protect the cell from changes in pH?
-
Na+/H+ exchanger
- Main mechanism
- Na+ dependent
- Cl-/HCO3- exhcanger
- Na+ independent
- Na+,HCO3-/H+,Cl- exchanger
- Na+ dependent

What is the effect of hypokalemia on HCO3- reabsorption and acid excretion?
Hypokalemia stimulates bicarbonate reabsorption and acid excretion
Hypokalemia -> kidney works to increase serum pH
In which tubules of the kidney is bicarbonate reabsorption driven by the Na+/H+ exhchanger?
Proximal tubule
Thick ascending limb of LOH
(Not the collecting tubule, although Na+ indirectly affects H+ secretion in the CT)
Where in the kidney tubule is NH4+ reabsorbed?
Loop of Henle
What is the equation for urine anion gap?
How do you use it?
[Na+] + [K+] + [NH4+] = [Cl-]
Useful in in ruling in/out RTA as a cause of hyperchloremic (non-AG) metabolic acidosis
- If [Na+] + [K+] > [Cl-], then there is no NH4+ in the urine
- If this is true while the patient is acidemic, the kidney tubules are not properly acidifying the urine
- If [Na+] + [K+] -], then there is NH4+ in the urine
- This is an indication of acid excretion, which means the metabolic acidosis is not likely to be caused by RTA
Why might does amiloride cause metabolic acidosis?
Amiloride blocks Na+ reabsorption in the collecting duct
- Decreased Na+ reabsorption
- -> Decreased Na+/H+ exchange
- -> Decreased H+ secretion
- -> Metabolic acidosis
Describe the pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis
Lack of insulin
- -> Lipolysis and release of fatty acids
-
-> Accumulation of ketone bodies
- Acetoacetatic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid
-
-> Accumulation of ketone bodies
What is Type A lactic acidosis?
Increased lactic acid generation
- Due to tissue hypoxia
- Severe hypotension
- Cardiac arrest
- Sepsis
(Type B = decreased utilization of lactic acid)
A state of _______________ leads to the formation of glutamine in the liver
A state of metabolic acidosis leads to the formation of glutamine in the liver
What is the most frequent and severe cause of H+ build up in the circulation?
Lactic acidosis
Describe the transport of NH4+ (ammonia) in the kidney tubule
-
Glutamine –> NH4+ in the proximal tubule
- Glutamine into PCT epithelial cell through the basolateral membrane
- Glutamine –> NH4+ –> NH3 + H+
- H+ is secreted into the tubule via H+/Na+ exchanger
- NH3 diffuses into the tubule
- In the tubule, NH3 + H+ –> NH4+
-
NH4+ is reabsorbed in the Loop of Henle
- NH4+/K+ exchanger
- Na+/NH4+/Na+ exchanger
- NH4+ channel
-
NH3 diffuses into the medullary collecting duct, binds to H+ and is trapped as NH4+
- Acid (H+) secreted by collecting duct epithelial cells binds to NH3 and becomes trapped as NH4+
- This is how the body secretes acid while retaining bicarb
What is the differential for non-anion gap (hyperchloremic) metabolic acidosis?
USED CARS: Bicarb loss
- Uretrosigmoidostomy
- Saline administration (NaCl)
- In the face of renal dysfunction
- Endocrine (addison’s), Ethanol
- Diarrhea
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
- Ammonium chloride
- Renal tublar acidosis
- Spironolactone
Meatabolic Acidosis is a primary disturbance characterized by _________________
Meatabolic Acidosis is a primary disturbance characterized by
a fall in blood bicarbonate levels
This leads to decreased pH
Why do you see hypokalemia in Distal RTA?
DRTA = the distal tubule (alpha-intercalated cells) cannot secrete H+
- Lumen is negatively charged due to Na+ reabsorption
- Pulls + charge in
- K+ is secreted instead
Describe the “classic presentation” of Distal RTA
- Hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis
- Inability to lower urinary pH below 5.5 despite acidemia
- Due to impaired H+ secretion
- Hypokalemia
- Lumen negatively charged due to Na+ reabsorption; if H+ cannot be secreted, K+ is secreted
- Nephrocalcinosis (increased Ca2+ in the kidney tubule)
- Lumen negatively charged due to Na+ reabsorption; if H+ cannot be secreted, Ca2+ is secreted
- Kidney stones
- Due to increased Ca2+
Describe the process of HCO3+ reabsorption in the proximal tubule
There is no “bicarbonate transporter” on the apical membrane
Na+ gradient into the cell is necessary to drive H+ secretion in the apical membrane via Na+/H+ exchanger
- H+ secreted into the lumen is important (Na+/H+ exchanger, H+ pump)
- HCO3- combines with H+ to form H2CO3
- H2CO3 breaks down into H2O and CO2 via carbonic anhydrase
- CO2 diffuses across the basolateral membrane
- H2O diffuses across the baslolateral membrane via AQP1
- CO2 combines with H2O to form H2CO3 via carbonic anhydrase
- H2CO3 dissociates into H+ and HCO3-
-
HCO3-/Na+ cotransporter (NBCe1a) transports Na+ and 3(HCO3-) into the interstitium
- This is the only difference from HCO3- reabsorption in the TAL
- The TAL has a HCO3-/Cl- exchanger instead
- Na+ gradient is maintained by Na+/K+ ATPase

What are the major causes of metabolic alkalosis?
- Loss of H+ ions
- GI
- Loss of gastric acid secretions
- Vomiting, NG tube
- Loss of gastric acid secretions
- Renal
-
Loop or thiazide diuretics
- More Na+ delivery to cortical collecting duct stimulates principal cells to reabsorb more Na+
- This creates a favorble charge gradient for alpha intercalated cells to secrete H+
-
Mineralcorticoid excess
- Aldosterone stimulates alpha intercalated cells to reabsorb bicarb and secrete H+
- Bartter and Gitelman syndromes
-
Loop or thiazide diuretics
- GI
- Retention of administered bicarbonate
- Milk Alkali syndrome
- Administration of NaHCO3
What is the effect of volume depletion on HCO3- reabsorption and acid excretion?
Volume depletion stimulates bicarbonate reabsorption and acid excretion
Volume depletion -> kidney works to increase pH
(Is this a response to the decreased perfusion and resulting acidosis associated with volume depletion?)




