Cerebrospinal fluid pH regulation

Abstract

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fills the brain ventricles and the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The fluid compartment of the brain ventricles communicates with the interstitial fluid of the brain across the ependyma. In comparison to blood, the CSF contains very little protein to buffer acid-base challenges. Nevertheless, the CSF responds efficiently to changes in systemic pH by mechanisms that are dependent on the CO₂/HCO₃^- buffer system. This is evident from early studies showing that the CSF secretion is sensitive to inhibitors of acid/base transporters and carbonic anhydrase. The CSF is primarily generated by the choroid plexus, which is a well-vascularized structure arising from the pial lining of the brain ventricles. The epithelial cells of the choroid plexus host a range of acid/base transporters, many of which participate in CSF secretion and most likely contribute to the transport of acid/base equivalents into the ventricles. This review describes the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms in choroid plexus acid/base regulation and the possible role in CSF pH regulation.

Keywords: Acid–base; Bicarbonate; Brain ventricles; Cerebrospinal fluid; Choroid plexus; Membrane transport.