Alveolar subphase pH in the lungs of anesthetized rabbits.

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Abstract
The pH of the alveolar subphase fluid was measured by puncturing the most superficial alveoli of the exposed lungs of anesthetized rabbits with H+-selective and nonselective KCl microelectrodes. The lung surface was bathed in paraffin oil or buffered Ringer''s solutions that had a CO2 tension of 40 torr (1 torr = 133.3 Pa [Pascal unit]). The alveolar pH was 6.92 .+-. 0.01 (mean .+-. SEM [standard error of the mean] was found. When the pH of the surface buffer was < 6.7 or > 7.5, alveolar pH varied with surface buffer pH. The nonselective electrode did not reveal a significant electrical potential difference between the alveolar fluid and the pleural surface. Apparently, H+ (or HCO3-) is actively transported across alveolar epithelium.