Protein buffer system helps to maintain acidity in and around the cells. Hemoglobin makes an excellent buffer by binding to small amounts of acids in the blood, before they can alter the pH of the blood. Other proteins containing amino acid histidine are also good at buffering.
The main purpose of all these buffers is to maintain proper pH within the body system so that all biochemical process can take place.
Protein plays a vital role in regulating the concentrations of acids and bases in your blood and other bodily fluids.
The balance between acids and bases is measured using the pH scale. It ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic, 7 neutral and 14 the most alkaline.
Examples of the pH value of common substances include:
- pH 2: Stomach acid
- pH 4: Tomato juice
- pH 5: Black coffee
- pH 7.4: Human blood
- pH 10: Milk of magnesia
- pH 12: Soapy water
Proteins regulate body processes to maintain fluid balance. Albumin and globulin are proteins in your blood that help maintain your body’s fluid balance by attracting and retaining water. If you don’t eat enough protein, your levels of albumin and globulin eventually decrease.
Consequently, these proteins can no longer keep blood in your blood vessels, and the fluid is forced into the spaces between your cells. As the fluid continues to build up in the spaces between your cells, swelling or edema occurs, particularly in the stomach region.
This is a form of severe protein malnutrition called kwashiorkor that develops when a person is consuming enough calories but does not consume enough protein. Kwashiorkor is rare in developed regions of the world and occurs more often in areas of starvation.
Proteins help form immunoglobulins, or antibodies, to fight infection. Antibodies are proteins in your blood that help protect your body from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. When these foreign invaders enter your cells, your body produces antibodies that tag them for elimination. Without these antibodies, bacteria and viruses would be free to multiply and overwhelm your body with the disease they cause.
Once your body has produced antibodies against a particular bacteria or virus, your cells never forget how to make them. This allows the antibodies to respond quickly the next time a particular disease agent invades your body. As a result, your body develops immunity against the diseases to which it is exposed.
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