Potassium and intracellular pH

摘要

Potassium and acid-base balance have long been known to be interrelated. Studies have shown, for example, that a reduction in body potassium stores often induces a sustained metabolic alkalosis [1, 2], while acute administration of either potassium or rubidium chloride results in a rapid fall in blood pH and blood bicarbonate concentration [3]. The vast majority of metabolic reactions, however, occur intracellular, so the effect of changes in potassium balance on cellular acidity potentially have even greater physiologic significance. Most experiments dealing with this topic suggest that potassium balance does indeed influence cellular acid-base conditions. The present paper will review the information available concerning the relationship between potassium and cell pH and indicate those areas in which the data are incomplete or the results ambigious. As much work in this field is dependent on the accurate measurement of cell pH, it is necessary to examine briefly the practical and theoretical limitations of the methods employed to determine this quantity.