Terminologies for Aqueous Solutions in Animals

What does blood serum mean?

A clear yellowish liquid part in blood that remains after blood cells and clotting protein have been removed

Acidemia

The state of having low blood pH (acidic) where the pH level is below 7

• It is the result of acidosis

Acidosis

• What

• How it happens (3)

• Can be classified as

What: The process that causes the body to become more acidic

How it happens:

• When there is an increase in acid production

• Decrease in bicarbonate (a base)

• Failure to remove enough CO2

Classifications:

• Metabolic acidosis

• Respiratory acidosis

What is respiratory acidosis and give examples and the compensatory mechanism

A condition where the body’s blood becomes more acidic due to an excess of CO2 due to impaired lung function

EX:

• Chronic lung disease

• Pneumonia

• Pulmonary fibrosis

• Pulmonary oedema

• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

• High [CO2]

Compensatory mechanism:

• Increase excretion of acid in urine

What is metabolic acidosis and give examples and the compensatory mechanism

A condition where the blood becomes too acidic due to a decrease in bicarbonate (HCO3-), occurs when there is an imbalance in body’s metabolism causing excess acid production or loss of base

EX:

• Diarrhoea

• Diabetes mellitus

• Starvation

• Lactic acidosis

• Renal failure

• Ruminal acidosis

Compensatory mechanism:

• Increased breathing rate to expel CO2

Alkalemia

A condition where the blood pH is abnormally higher, meaning that it has become too alkaline (basic) with a pH above 7

Alkalosis

• What

• Classifications

• Results to, BUT

What: The process that increases the body’s pH toward alkaline levels

Classifications:

• Respiratory alkalosis

• Metabolic alkalosis

Can results to: Alkalemia BUT not all cases do, if the body can compensate well enough

What is respiratory alkalosis and give examples and give the compensatory mechanism

A condition where the blood becomes too alkaline (basic) due to excessive loss of CO2 due to hyperventilation

EX:

• High fever (hyperventilation)

• Inflammation/disease of brain

Compensatory mechanism:

• Increase excretion of alkali in urine

What is metabolic alkalosis and give examples and give compensatory mechanisms

A condition where the blood becomes too alkaline (basic) due to

• Increase in bicarbonate (HCO3-) OR

• Decrease of acids

EX:

• Vomiting

• Ingestion of alkaline salts

• GI obstruction

• Furosemide

Compensatory mechanism:

• Decreased breathing rate to retain CO2

Buffer

A solution that maintains pH and brings it back to its optimal value by addition or removal of hydrogen ion

Give examples of extracellular buffers

• Bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system

• Plasma proteins

Give examples of intracellular buffers

• Hemoglobin buffer

• Phosphate

• Intracellular protein

Buffer systems can be achieved through 3 main mechanisms, name them

• Neutralisation by buffer systems (seconds to minutes)

• Exhalation by respiratory system (minutes to hours)

• Clearance by renal system (hours to days)

An example of a buffer system is carbonic acid-bicarbonate, how does it work?

• Decrease in H ions causes carbonic acid to dissociate —> H ions and bicarbonate ions, resulting in the release of H ions

• Increase in H ions, combines with bicarbonate to make carbonic acid

How does the respiratory system act as a buffer system?

It controls the release of CO2 from the body through breathing rate

How does the urinary system act as a buffer system?

Regulates the levels of bicarbonate ions in blood by absorbing or excreting them

Hypoxia

Deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching tissues

Tachycardia

Increased heart rate

Bradycardia

Decreased heart rate

Tachypnea

Abnormally rapid breathing

Bradypnea

Abnormally slow breathing

Acid

• What

• So is it a proton donor or acceptor

• pH level

• Turns blue litmus paper into

• Examples

• Ionisation of strong acid in water

• Ionisation of weak acid in water

What: A substance that releases hydrogen ions in solution

Proton: Donor

pH level: Below 7

Turns blue litmus paper into: Red

Examples:

• HCl

• Acetic acid

• Lactic acid

Ionisation of strong acid in water: Completely ionized

Ionisation of weak acid in water: Partially ionized

Base

• What

• So is it a proton donor or acceptor

• pH level

• Examples

• Ionisation of strong base in water

• Ionisation of weak base in water

What: Substance that accepts hydrogen ions in solution

Proton: Acceptor

pH level: Above 7

Examples:

• Sodium hydroxide

• Potassium hydroxide

• Ammonia

Ionisation of strong base in water: Completely ionised

Ionisation of weak base in water: Partially ionised

Compensatory

Refers to how the body adjust to disturbances in internal balance like in pH levels to restore homeostasis

Homeostasis

A self-regulating process by which biological system tend to maintain internal stability

Ionized

A process in which an molecule acquires a positive/negative charge by losing or gaining electrons