Regulation of intracellular pH in lungs and other tissues during hypercapnia.

Using a 14C-labeled DMO, 36Cl and 3H method, we have determined the in vivo buffering capacity of lung, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle, and extracellular fluid (ECF) of guinea pigs during hypercapnia (FICO2 = 0.15). After 1 days' exposureto 15% CO2, both the relative CO2 buffer values (delta HCO3/deltapH) and the "%pH regulation" were lung greater than kidney greater than heart greater than ECF greater than skeletal muscle. For lung tissue the intracellular pH was significantly decreased only during acute (8 h) hypercapnia and had completely returned to control values after 7 days with arterial PCO2 congruent to 122 Torr. Kidney and cardiac muscle also showed ca. 100% regulation of pH at 7 days, whereas skeletal muscle and ECF showed only 80 and 70% pH regulation, respectively. The results are discussed with respect to the important (and pH-dependent) metabolic functions of the lung and kidney.