Effect of Altered Plasma pCO 2 on Intracellular pH during Potassium Deficiency

Abstract

Summary

The plasma pCO₂ of control and dietary K-deficient rats was mechanically altered between 20 and 90 mm Hg. The object was to compare the intracellular pH and HCO₃ content of control and low-K skeletal muscle at identical pressures of plasma pCO₂. This made it possible to study the intracellular pH and HCO₃ changes associated with dietary K depletion without complications due to plasma pCO₂ changes. The data indicate that the intracellular acidity of low-K skeletal muscle from dietary depleted rats results mainly from the conditions imposed by the low-K regimen. The results also show that the in vivo buffer capacity of low-K skeletal muscle is significantly less (P<.01) than the buffer capacity of control skeletal muscle.