THE ROLE OF PLASMA CO2 TENSION AND CARBONIC ANHYDRASE ACTIVITY IN THE RENAL REABSORPTION OF BICARBONATE*

Abstract

The reabsorption of bicarbonate by the kidneys under normal circumstances appears to be a linear function of the plasma CO, tension (1-3). Previ- Otis studies from this laboratory (4) (lemonstratel that when carbonic anhydrase was inhibited by acetazolamide the linear relationship between plasma CO2 tension and HCO,reabsorption still obtained. It was therefore proposed that the un- catalyzed, as well as the catalyzed, hydration of CO2 was an important source of the H' involved in the reabsorption of HCO-.