In: Anatomy and Physiology
The pH of the cytoplasm is very stable and the pH of the blood can be easily changed. What is the key difference in the stability of the pH in these two systems?
The pH of cytoplasm in cell is very stable because - Changes in cytoplasmic pH can potentially affect widely all cellular processes.Such as cellular metabolism, the cell membrane potential, cell growth, exchange of substances across the cell membrane , cytoskeleton and muscle contractility.
Various etiologies such as growth factors, hormones and neurotransmitters. Also, many organelles(mitochondria ,lysosome and endoplasmic vesicles) does have an organellar pH that is different from the cytoplasmic pH (pH) and these pH differences have crucial effect on their optimum function. Hence cytoplasm maintain stable pH.
Whreas the pH of blood is regulated by variety of factors which gives blood an operating range . Buffers regulate the pH of blood and the abnormalities arising due to it are less harmful than that of the cytoplasm so the blood pH can easily be shifted. The bicarbonate and carbonic acid maintains the blood pH.