Final answer:
The claim that blood plasma has a higher concentration of anions than cations is false. Blood plasma is neutral, with balanced concentrations of cations and anions due to the action of sodium-potassium pumps and the presence of various ions like sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the total concentration of anions in blood plasma is slightly higher than the total concentration of cations is false. Most bodily fluids, including blood plasma, have a neutral charge, with a balance between cations and anions.
In blood plasma, there are high concentrations of sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), and proteins, which contribute to the overall ion concentration. The sodium-potassium pumps in cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the differences in ion concentrations between the intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF), such as plasma, by using ATP to pump sodium out of cells and potassium into cells.
While sodium ions are primarily found in the ECF, including plasma, potassium ions are concentrated within cells. Therefore, the anion and cation concentrations in plasma should be balanced to maintain the overall neutral charge of the fluid.