Week 2- Plasma Flashcards
What are the 3 main extra cellular fluids?
Interstitial, plasma and transcellular
What is interstitial fluid?
The fluid in between cells (spaces) that delivers oxygen and nutrients to cells and is known as lymph once drained by lymphatic vessels
What is plasma?
The liquid component of blood, similar in composition to lymph but has many more proteins
What is transcellular fluid?
Other remaining extra cellular fluids such as cerebrospinal, ocular etc
What is sérum and how is different to plasma?
It is where blood is left to clot and depleted of clotting factors as well as cells that are caught in the clot, both it and plasma can be screened for biomarkers
What are the main proteins in plasma?
Serum albumin, alpha globulins, beta globulins and gamma globulins
Describe serum albumin
Makes up 55% of plasma proteins, has a vital role in transporting fatty acids for beta oxidation from lipolysis
Describe the classes of alpha globulins and their functions
- Alpha 1 globulins
They are protease inhibitors and protect many bodily cells from enzymes - Alpha 2 globulins
- Haptoglobin: binds to haemoglobin in RBCs so those specific RBCs can be removed by the spleen (elevated levels indicate haemoglobin anaemia)
- Alpha 2 microglobin: inhibits proteases inactivating fibrinolysis
Describe beta globulins
They contain C3 and C4 proteins as well as transferrin which is important for iron transport (both dietary and from ferritin)
Describe gamma globulins
Contain immunoglobulins (antibodies), elevated levels therefore indicate response to infection
Where is magnesium found and why is it important?
It is found intracellularly and is important as it’s a cofactor for many enzymes
Why are electrolytes important on a cellular level?
They maintain osmolarity
What happens when ATP is depleted to cells?
They become more spherical as sodium/potassium ATPase cannot work efficiently so there is movement in of sodium and subsequent movement in of water
