L10: Capillaries Flashcards
What does the rate of diffusion depend on
Concentration gradient
Surface area
Diffusion distance
What happens to the rate of diffusion as the concentration gradient increases
Increases
What happens to the rate of diffusion as surface area increases
Rate increases
What happens to the rate of diffusion as diffusion distance increases
Decreases
What is the surface area determined by
Number of capillaries
How do we maximise a concentration gradient
By maintaining a good blood flow
What happens to the diffusion distance when there is tissue oedema
Diffusion distance increases therefore diffusion rate decreases
What is anaemia
When there is a low haemoglobin count in the blood
What happens to the diffusion distance when there is anaemia
Diffusion distance increases and therefore the rate of diffusion decreases
What is atherosclerosis
When the elastic arteries stiffen as you age so the blood flow decreases
What is a capillary hydrostatic pressure
The pressure that causes the blood to filter into the interstitial space
In an healthy individual do we have an intersitial oncotic pressure
No because the would be no proteins in the intersitial space so it would be 0
What are the forces favouring reabsorption of fluid into the capillaries
Intersitial hydrostatic pressure
Capillary oncotic pressure
In a normal healthy individual what would the intersitial hydostatic pressure be
0
What is the capillary oncotic pressure caused by
Proteins in the capillaries which draws water from the interstitial space