I. laerstitialfluid Edema refers to tissue swelling, and this occurs when fluid
ID: 3512977 • Letter: I
Question
I. laerstitialfluid Edema refers to tissue swelling, and this occurs when fluid is drawn out of the blood plasma and into the tissues. a ithe liver is unable to produce enough of the plasma proteinP 8 Blood albumin, resulting in edema. Explain how. In your explanation: address membrane permeability with respect to water vs. proteins, concentration of osmotically active particles in the blood vs. the tissues the effect of the concentration difference on the osmotic movement of water fluid. Would this cause edema? Explain.Explanation / Answer
a. With cirrhosis, liver produces lnsufficient amount of plasma protein albumin and thus, concentration of albumin protein decreases in plasma. This decrease in albumin (osmotically active particle) concentration in plasma causes osmotic gradient because the concentration inside the tissue is higher. This osmotic gradient results in the movement of water from plasma to tissue leading to higher tissue fluid which causes oedema (In osmosis movement occurs from lower to higher concentration. Also, the permeability of membrane toward water is higher and thus, water can move across membrane via diffusion and osmosis while albumin (protein) is larger in size and cannot move freely across membrane.
b. Yes, this can cause edema. Since concentration of protein in interstitial fluid will be higher, an osmotic gradient will occur due to concentration difference between interstitial fluid and plasma which results in the movement of water from plasma to interstitial fluid and thus edema will occur.