Management of the acid-base balance by the red blood cell carbonic anhydrase (RCA). I. Correlation of the RCA activity and acid-base balance in the in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Changes in RCA activity are known to affect the acid-base balance, but a clear relationship between RCA activity and acid-base balance has not yet been established. The relationship between RCA activity and acid-base balance was studied in tonometry with 4 mixed gases for 6-9 hr, in healthy adults at rest, in halothane anesthesia and in hypothermia. RCA activity increases when pH and HCO3-/PCO2 ratio increase and PCO2 decreases in vitro. It also increases when pH and HCO3-/PCO2 ratio decrease and the range of PCO2 broadens in vivo. The relationship between RCA activity and the HCO3-/PCO2 ratio is a fan shape, because a change of the HCO3-/PCO2 ratio precedes the change of RCA activity. Some factor which increases the RCA activity may be produced secondarily in the body under the influence of high PCO2. Probably the acid-base balance is corrected by reduction of the RCA activity in the case of alkalosis, and the acid-base balance may be corrected by an increase in RCA activity in the case of acidosis.