Question

Chloride shift occurs in response to ?

• A. $H^{+}$
• B. $K^{+}$
• C. ${HC{O}_3}^{-}$
• D. $N{a}^{+}$

Answer 1

The correct option is C ${HC{O}_3}^{-}$

Bicarbonate diffuses out of the red blood cells into the plasma in venous blood and vice versa in arterial blood. Chloride ion always diffuses in an opposite direction of bicarbonate ion, in order to maintain a charge balance. This is referred to as the chloride shift. Thus, the correct answer is option C.