Question

During the transportation gases, to maintain the ionic balance chloride ions shifts from

• A. RBC's to plasma
• B. Plasma to RBC
• C. Lungs to blood
• D. Blood to lungs

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Plasma to RBC

Answer 2

During the internal respiration, the carbon dioxide in gaseous form diffuses out of the cells into the capillaries. The largest fraction of $CO_2$ is converted to bicarbonate ions ($HCO_3^-$) in the RBCs. The bicarbonate ions are quite diffusible, therefore, they diffuse from RBCs into the plasma. To maintain ionic balance chloride ($Cl^-$) ions move from the plasma into the RBCs. This ionic exchange is called chloride shift.