Renal Acid-Base Balance

To the tune of "Driving Sideways" by Aimee Mann
Bicarbonate combines with a proton
And with help of carbonic anhydrase
Forms water and CO2
Which can easily diffuse
Into the IF where it's converted back to bicarbonate
Kidneys correct for disturbances in pH
With incompletion titration
Of a proton against a bicarbonate
Leads to elimination
Of either one
The most abundant mechanism
Requires sodium-proton exchange
Sodium-potassium pump
Drives an inward flux of sodium
It cannot secrete protons against a low pH
And the
Kidneys correct for disturbances in pH
With incompletion titration
Of a proton against a bicarbonate
Leads to elimination
Of either one
The less abundant mechanism
Requires primary active transport
Two proton ATP-ases
Secrete against a low pH
This is a much more powerful mechanism for
The
Kidneys correct for disturbances in pH
With incompletion titration
Of a proton against a bicarbonate
Leads to elimination
Of either one
Of either one
Of either one