Capillaries I Flashcards
What does metabolism create?
→ A need to transport solute and fluids
a need for gaseous and nutrient exchange.
The metabolism going on in cells is generating concentration gradients that facilitate this movement
What do cell membranes consist of?
Phosphate head (Polar) → Fatty acid tail (non-polar)
What do cell membranes form?
→ Bilayers in solution
What are the functions of cell membranes?
→ Provide support and protection
→ Cell-to-cell recognition
→Controls what enters and leaves the cell
→ Regulates cell function
What are properties of Passive transport?
→ Movement of molecules down a gradient
→ Concentration/pressure/osmotic/electrical
→ Does not require energy
→ Simple (O2/CO2) or facilitated (ions/glucose)
Facilitated is where a transporter or channel is required but no external energy the movement is still due to a gradient. Same with the GLUT transporters.
What are properties of Active transport?
→Movement of molecules against a gradient
→ Requires energy (uses ATP)
What gradient does diffusion use and give an example
→ concentration gradient
→ O2 uptake from the lungs into the blood
pO2 within the lungs versus bound O2 in the blood
What gradient does convection use and give an example
→Pressure gradient
→ blood flow from heart to blood vessels
What gradient does osmosis use and give an example
→ Osmotic pressure gradient
→ Water uptake by cells
What gradient does electrochemical flux use and give an example
→ Electrical and concentration gradient
→ Ion flow during an action potential in a nerve
eg. K+ is high in the cell so will diffuse out of cell due to concentration gradient
The concentration gradient is stronger than the electrical gradient that will draw K+ into the cell so there is net change
Where does solute and fluid exchange occur?
→ At capillaries
What do capillaries connect?
→ Connect terminal arterioles to venules
→ Extension of inner lining of an arteriole
Where are capillaries found?
→ found near every cell in the body
→higher density in highly active tissues (muscles, liver, heart, kidneys, brain)
What is the function of capillaries?
→ Solute exchange
→ Fluid exchange
→ Regulation of plasma and interstitial fluid
What controls the rate of solute transport?
→Properties of passive diffusion eg. eg. concentration, rate- rate at which a substance can move in the medium, distance
→Properties of solutes and membranes eg. Fick’s Law
→ Properties of capillaries
What are properties of passive diffusion?
→Does not require any energy
→ molecules move randomly
→ Move from areas of high to low concentrations
→ transport of lipid soluble solutes over short distances
Depends on molecules moving randomly
What are properties of the solute that affect transport?
→ Concentration gradient
→ size of solute
→ Lipid solubility of solute- lipids tend to cross quickly
What are properties of the membrane that affect transport?
→ Membrane thickness/ composition
→ Aqueous pores in the membrane
→ Carrier mediated transport
→ Active transport mechanisms
What is Fick’s law?
→solute movement (mass per unit time) can be determined by four factors:
→the diffusion coefficient of the solute (the ease of movement through the solvent)
→the area
→the concentration gradient (C1 - C2)-
→ the distance (between C1 and C2)