Carbon dioxide a bicarb?? help please - drp450

[ArchivalUser]

How is it that CO2 is transported as bicarbonate if CO2 is considered acidic? Please help. This really confuses me.

[ArchivalUser]

not sure about yr q., but I am trying to reply to u as I understood ...

CO2 is considered acidic as it gives off a H+ when dissolved in water. the reaction is like this

CO2 + H2O = HCO3 which dissociates into H+ and HCO3- by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase ...

Since there is not CA in plasma .... all these reaction happens in RBC. once HCO3- is formed ... it diffuses out of the cell in exchange of CL- and is transported to the lung ... where ..HCO3- again goes inside the RBC and the reaction just reverses producing CO2 which diffuses out ....

[ArchivalUser]

Great. I think I understand now. Thank you.