Metabolic acidosis and bone disease.

Bone is the largest repository base in the body. Prolonged acid retention requires continuous buffering of acid if the organism is to survive. This paper discusses the role of bone buffering under both normal and altered conditions of acid-base homeostasis. We place particular emphasis on the roles of PTH and vitamin D in this process. We also discuss bone abnormalities in renal tubular acidosis and chronic renal failure.