Final answer:
The statement that links decreased tissue H+ concentrations to increased blood flow to an organ is false. In reality, increased blood flow is usually a response to increased metabolic byproducts like increased CO2 or decreased pH in tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Increased blood flow to an organ is induced by decreased tissue H+ concentrations" is false. Blood flow to an organ is typically increased by the accumulation of metabolic byproducts, such as increased carbon dioxide (CO2), decreased pH (which reflects increased H+ concentration), and other factors like increased exercise that increase the requirement for oxygen and nutrients.
Local regulation of blood flow, also known as autoregulation, involves the dilation (widening) of arterioles—the small branches of arteries that lead to capillaries—when there is increased CO2, decreased pH, or other metabolic waste products in the tissues.
This process enhances perfusion, the passage of fluid through the circulatory system to an organ or a tissue, to meet the increased metabolic demands.
One key mechanism of this regulation is the release of vasodilators (substances that dilate blood vessels), such as nitric oxide, in response to these signals. This effect opposes the idea that decreased H+ (which would suggest an increased pH or alkalinity) would trigger increased blood flow.