Buffering and H+ ion dynamics in muscle tissues.

After anaerobic activity with release of large quantities of intermediary metabolic end products, further energy production critically depends on rapid elimination of H+ ions from the muscle tissues to secure key enzymatic activities. The involved processes, interactions and interrelationships of mechanisms have been analyzed on the basis of a physiological model and available experimental data. The H+ elimination from muscle tissue is a multifactorial process primarily governed by the capillary H+ transport capacitance, effected by buffering capabilities of intracellular and capillary fluids compartments, by dynamically interrelated regulation of intracellular and extracellular pH, by the magnitude and quality of convective perfusional transfer and further factors. Model calculations strongly resemble experimental data obtained in isolated perfused muscles and suggest that discrepancies between disparate literature data are attributable to experimental limitations.