Acid-base balance
Acid–base homeostasis integrates chemical buffers, carbon dioxide elimination and renal bicarbonate handling. Interpret pH, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate together rather than separately.
Open interactive lesson & self-check ↗Acid-base balance — learning map
Original conceptual SVG · scalableOriginal schematic relationship map for this topic; relationships are organized for study, not intended as an anatomical depiction or a diagnostic algorithm.
Buffering
Bicarbonate and nonbicarbonate buffers reduce abrupt changes in hydrogen ion concentration.
Respiratory control
Alveolar ventilation changes arterial carbon dioxide, influencing the carbonic-acid component of the extracellular buffer system.
Renal control
Kidneys reclaim filtered bicarbonate and generate new bicarbonate while excreting acid as ammonium and titratable acids.
Compensation
A primary respiratory or metabolic disturbance may trigger compensation in the other system, but compensation does not necessarily restore pH fully.
Reference and next reading
Explore the original curriculum and publisher-hosted resources for full-depth reading; this note is an original schematic introduction, not an exhaustive chapter.