The body's first line of defence against shifts in pH is its acid-base buffer systems.
What is acid-base buffer system?
The proper balance between the acids and bases in the body'sextracellularfluid is crucial for the normal physiology of the body and for cellularmetabolism.
The first lines of defence are immediate, consisting of the various chemical buffers which minimize pH changes that would otherwise occur in their absence.
The pH of the intracellular fluid and the extracellular fluid need to be maintained at a constant level.
Proteins are denatured i.e. their 3D structure is disrupted, causing enzymes and ion channels to malfunction.
An acid–base imbalance is known as acidaemia when the pH is acidic and alkalaemia when the pH is alkaline.
