Physiology: Homeostasis of Body Fluids

June 14, 2013

Dr. E. Montenegro
Body Fluid Compartment and Formation of Edema
Body Water Content (BWC)
- In a Normal Adult, BWC is MORE than of total body weight
- Body water decreases by 45% as we age
- Muscles can hold more water than fats
Young Man
-60% water of total
body weight
-More muscles; less
fats

Young Woman
-50% of total body
weight
-More fats than
muscles

Infants
- 73% of total body
weight
- Low bone mass and
fat tissues

Water Balance
Principle: Water input = water output
-

An adult averagely consumes 2.5 L of water/day from

o 60% water ingestion
o 30% water from ingested food
o 10% produced by body through cellular metabolism (water of oxidation and water of
metabolism)

Water Output
o 60% though urine excretion
o 28% through insensible water loss (respiratory expiration and skin dissipation)
o 8% through obvious perspiration
o 4% through stool excretion

Osmolarity
- Normal is 285- 300 mOsmol/L
Note: the unit could also be mOsmol/kg (Osmolality) which is considered the same with
Osmolarity in Physiology context
-

Decreased osmolarity =
o Inhibition of antidiuretic hormone and thirst mechanism
o No water ingestion but increased urine output
Increased osmolarity=
o Activation of antidiuretic hormone and thirst mechanism
o Increased water input but decreased urine output

Fluid Compartments

In a 70 Kg young male, his 60% of his total body weight which is water comes from
o Extracellular (20%- 15L)
Plasma (5%- 3.5L)
Cl- - 95-107 meq/L
Interstitial fluid (15%- 10.5)
Transcellular fluid- 1L
Na+- 135-145 meq/L

Physiology: Homeostasis of Body Fluids

June 14, 2013
Dr. E. Montenegro

Note: Transcellular fluid is composed of:

1. CSF (Cerebrospinal Fluid)
2. Aqueous Humor of the Eyes (Intraocular Spaces)
3. Peritoneal (Abdomen)
4. Pericardial (Heart)
5. Pleural (Respiration)
6. Synovial (Bone Connection)
o

Intracellular (40%- 25L)

K+, HPO4; proteins are 3 to 4 times greater than those of the plasma

Composition of Solutes
Solutes:
1. Non- electrolytesa. Covalent bonds (prevents dissociation in water)
b. Neutral (has zero net charge)
c. Glucose, lipids, creatinine, urea, proteins
2. Electrolytes
a. Chemical compounds dissociate to 2-3 ions
b. Conduct electrical current
c. Inorganic salts
Osmoles- total number of particles
- 1 gm mole of nonpermeant and ionizable substances= 1 osmole
- If a substance ionizes into 2 ions, 1 gm mole of substance= 2 osmoles
Note:NaCl compound dissociate into 2 elements thus 1 osmole/element = 2 osmoles
Bivalent ion- 1 gm mole of this substance= 1/2 osmole
Note: Calcium ion (Ca++) has 2 ionic charges which divides 1 osmole into 2 (1 osmole/number of ionic
charge)
Osmosis
- Movement of water in a semi-permeable membrane from:
A. low concentration of solutes to higher concentration of solutes
B. high concentration of water to low concentration of water
Osmolarity (mmoles/ L of solution)
Osmolalilty (mmoles/Kg of water)
Both are used interchangeably.
Refers to number of solute particles given in a solution

Hydrostatic pressure
o Kick
o From high water concentration to low water concentration
Osmotic pressure
o Keep
o Attracts water
o Movement of water from low concentration of solutes to high concentration of solutes
o

Isoosmotic

Physiology: Homeostasis of Body Fluids

June 14, 2013
Dr. E. Montenegro

o
o

Total solute concentration in solution = cell

Hypoosmotic
Total solute concentration is lesser than that of the cell
Hyperosmotic
Total solute concentration is greater than that of the cell

Tonicity
Refers to the number of NON-PERMEANT Solutes in a solution
o
o
o

Isotonic
amount of Non permeant solutes in solution = cell
Hypotonic
Lesser Non permeant solutes to that of the cell
Hypertonic
Greater Non permeant solutes compared to that of the cell

DIAGRAM
A

000000
HH000H
HHHH
Less solute
More water

000000
000000
HHHH
More solute
Less water

MOVEMENT OF FLUIDS
DIAGRAM
Extracellular
Intravascular

Interstitial

. . . . . .
000000
......

..........
000000
..........

Intracellular
...
000000
......

Plasma, Interstitial Fluid and Intracellular fluid are isotonic to each other even with varying
osmolarity because this concept will only count the number of NON-PERMEANT PARTICLES
o

Injection of Hypotonic Solution

DIAGRAM
Extracellular
Intravascular

Interstitial

. . . .
000
......

.......
0000
..

Intracellular
. .
000000
......

Physiology: Homeostasis of Body Fluids

June 14, 2013
Dr. E. Montenegro

Plasma becomes diluted water from Plasma will move to the Interstitial Compartment
Decreased osmolarity in the Interstitial Compartment water from the Interstitial Compartment will
go to the Intracellular compartment
o Injection of Mannitol (Hyperosmotic Solution)
DIAGRAM
Extracellular
Intravascular

Interstitial

. . . . . .
000000
......

..........
000

Intracellular
...
00
.

Increases osmolarity in the Plasma water from Interstitial Compartment will move to the Plasma
increased osmolarity in the Interstitial Compartment water from the Intracellular compartment will
move to the Interstitial Compartment then will move to the Plasma excreted through Urination
Notes Taken by:
1. Adrian Ang
2. Endoken Balabag
Edited by:
Kristian Knowell Cadiente