Which two main organs are responsible for the day-to-day management of the body's acid-base equilibrium?
Answer
The lungs and the kidneys
The body employs sophisticated buffering systems managed primarily by two major organs: the lungs and the kidneys. The lungs are responsible for managing the volatile component, which is carbonic acid, by controlling the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. This response is rapid. Conversely, the kidneys manage the non-volatile acids and are responsible for conserving bicarbonate (HCO3-), the body's primary chemical buffer. While the renal response is much slower, taking hours or days, it provides a more powerful and sustained correction mechanism for long-term maintenance of the pH balance.
Related Questions
What is the medically defined term for the serious disruption of the body's pH environment known as acidosis?Which two main organs are responsible for the day-to-day management of the body's acid-base equilibrium?What breathing pattern, characterized by rapid and deep breaths, does the body use as an immediate compensation mechanism in metabolic acidosis?What condition causes increased acid production leading to metabolic acidosis due to the body producing excessive ketones?What laboratory test provides real-time measurements of pH, PCO2, and HCO3- to diagnose the nature of acidosis?In chronic metabolic acidosis, how does the body attempt to buffer circulating acid using skeletal reserves?What primary mechanism causes respiratory acidosis regarding CO2 and carbonic acid formation?What is the typical narrow range that the body strives to maintain the blood pH within for life?What negative effect on the cardiovascular system is noted when acidosis severely impairs the heart muscle's ability to contract?When treating metabolic acidosis caused by impaired kidney excretion, what substance is often prescribed for long-term management?