Week 10 - water Flashcards
Water homeostasis - function
- Acts as a universal solvent - Transports dissolved solutes
- Distributes body heat
- Cushions & protect organs - tissues
- Lubricates organs & tissues as they move
Water homeostasis - factors
- Water intake
- Kidney function (GFR)
- Digestive functions
- Physical activity → reduces blood flow to kidneys & digestive organs → reduce water output
- Medication
Intracellular compartment
- Known as intracellular fluid (ICF)
- Composed of the fluid found within cells (cytosol)
- ICF accounts for about 60% of the body’s fluid
Extracellular compartment
- Known as extracellular fluid (ECF)
- Composed of the fluid found between cells (interstitial fluid) a variety of other body fluids found outside of cells ( blood plasma, CSF, digestive secretions, synovial fluid)
- ECF accounts for about 40% of the body fluids
Body fluid composition - non electrolytes
- Do not dissociate in water (bc of covalent bonds)
- No charged particles created
Body fluid composition - Electrolytes
- In water electrolytes dissociate into ions, which are charged particles → conduct an electrical current
- Most abundant solutes in body fluids
- Involved with most chemical & physical reactions
- Greater osmotic power than non-electrolytes
- Ability to cause fluid shifts between fluid compartments
Hydrostatic pressure gradient
Force that fluid exerts on cells; tends to push water away from higher hydrostatic pressure to one with lower hydrostatic pressure
Osmotic pressure gradient
- Force of water movement generated by concentration of solutes in a solution
- Movement of water is achieved via the process of osmosis
- A solutions OP is determined by no. of solute particles present in solution (Osmolality)
High hydrostatic pressure
Dominates at arteriolar end of most blood vessels; pushes water out of vessel into surrounding interstitial fluid
high osmotic pressure
Dominates at venular end of most blood vessels; pulls most of water lost to interstitial fluid at arteriolar end back into vessel by osmosis
Electrolyte homeostasis
- Electrolytes obtained from diet = those lost from a variety of route from body
- Several mechanisms (mostly hormonal) maintain electrolyte balance
- Ion concentration is dependent not only on no. of ions in a body fluid, like blood, but also on amount of water in body fluid
- Fluid balance → critical factor that determines electrolyte balance
Obligatory water loss
Fluid lost through urine. Produced daily, irrespective of fluid intake
Sensible water loss
Amount of water lost in feces daily is a noticeable (sensed)
Insensible water loss
an unnoticed (not sensed) amount of daily water loss through sweat and respiration
Volume depletion (hypovolemia)
proportionate amounts of water and sodium are lost without replacement
- total body water decreases, osmolarity normal
- hemorrhage, severe burns, chronic vomiting or diarrhea
Dehydration
More water than sodium is eliminated
- total body water decreases, osmolarity rises
- Lack of drinking water, diabetes, profuse sweating, diuretics, exposure to extreme temperatures
- Affects all fluid compartments
Factors regulating water intake - Neural
- Governed by hypothalamic thirst centre. Thirst mechanism driving force for water intake
- Hypothalamic osmoreceptors detect ECF osmolarity; activated by an increase in plasma osmolarity of 1-2%
Factors regulating water intake - Hormonal
- Renin Angiotensin Aldosterine System (RAAS)
- Complex system that maintains systemic blood pressure primarily via changes to blood volume and urine output