Abstract
In view of the fact that the liver reconverts lactic acid into glycogen (Himwich 1 ), changes in acidity of blood as it passed through the liver were studied in a series of experiments undertaken on dogs. Following the intravenous injection of sodium cyanide, which leads to excessive appearance of lactic acid in the blood, samples of blood were taken from the portal vein, hepatic vein, and femoral artery. Two sets of samples were taken at 10 minute intervals to determine the normal acidities, and 2 sets of samples were taken at 10 minute intervals after each injection of sodium cyanide. The blood samples were stored on ice in special pH tubes designed by Dr. Gesell, and analyzed immediately following the experiment by the quin-hydrone method.
Constant results on 12 curves showed that: 1. Normally portal blood was more acid than hepatic blood. 2. Normally arterial blood was more acid than hepatic blood. 3. Portal blood became markedly more acid after each injection of sodium cyanide, then slowly returned towards normal again. 4. Arterial blood became more alkaline after each injection of sodium cyanide, then slowly returned towards normal again. 5. Hepatic blood became slowly but steadily more acid through the entire experiment. The absence of a marked rise in acidity of the hepatic blood could not be explained by the increased alkalinity of the arterial blood.
This flattening of the hepatic acidity curve may, therefore, be due to the fact that a portion of the surcharge of lactic acid causing the abrupt acid rise of the portal blood is reconverted by the liver into the precursor state (glycogen), with the liberation of free base. It is, therefore, suggested that the reconversion of lactic acid into glycogen by the liver is a factor in the maintenance of the acid-base control of the body.
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