Hydrogen ion concentration and oxygen uptake in an isolated canine hindlimb

Oxygen utilization (VO2) and lactate production by an isolated perfused canine hindlimb was evaluated at various hydrogen ion concentrations. A membrane lung perfusion system was established such that blood flow and temperature could be fixed at normal levels. Oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas flows to the membrane lung were independently regulated to provide a fixed arterial oxygen content (CaO2). By changing CO2 flow, the pH of the arterial blood was varied between 6.9 and 7.6 at 10-min intervals. The mean O2 delivery (CaO2 X blood flow) was between 16.3 ML O2/min and 20.5 ml O2/min. Standard error of the mean in each dog, however, was less than 0.4 ml O2/min. VO2 was linearly related to the pH of the perfusing blood: VO2% = 100.1 pH - 643 (r = 0.866). Oxygen consumption was inversely related to PCO2: VO2% = -0.62 PCO2 + 124, but the correlation was less good (r = 0.729). Lactate production was linearly related to the pH of the perfusing blood (above a pH of 7.4): lactate produced = 22.5 pH - 162.5 (r = 0.75). At a pH below 7.4, lactate was not produced. Oxygen consumption of skeletal muscle appears critically dependent on extracellular fluid pH. A change in pH of 0.1 alters VO2 almost exactly 10%. Alkalosis is a potent stimulus to lactic acid production by skeletal muscle.