Textbook Question
Explain how blood, being a liquid, enables all its components (formed elements and plasma) to perform their functions.
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Ch. 19 Blood
Amerman3rd EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780138247201, 9780138247928, 9780138201814
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology24
- Ch. 2 The Chemistry of Life37
- Ch. 3 The Cell54
- Ch. 4 Histology46
- Ch. 5 The Integumentary System30
- Ch. 6 Bones and Bone Tissue36
- Ch. 7 The Skeletal System40
- Ch. 8 Articulations19
- Ch. 9 The Muscular System35
- Ch. 10 Muscle Tissue and Physiology29
- Ch. 11 Introduction to the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue28
- Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System41
- Ch. 13 The Peripheral Nervous System41
- Ch. 14 The Autonomic Nervous System and Homeostasis31
- Ch. 15 The Special Senses39
- Ch. 16 The Endocrine System42
- Ch. 17 The Cardiovascular System I: The Heart28
- Ch. 18 The Cardiovascular System II: The Blood Vessels43
- Ch. 19 Blood32
- Ch. 20 The Lymphatic System and Immunity41
- Ch. 21 The Respiratory System27
- Ch. 22 The Digestive System27
- Ch. 23 Metabolism and Nutrition7
- Ch. 24 The Urinary System39
- Ch. 25 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Homeostasis39
- Ch. 26 The Reproductive System10
- Ch. 27 Development and Heredity5
Amerman3rd EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780138247201, 9780138247928, 9780138201814Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 19, Problem 2
Which of the following plasma proteins is responsible for osmotic pressure?
a. γ-Globulins
b. Albumin
c. α-Globulins
d. Clotting proteins
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the role of plasma proteins in the blood. Plasma proteins are essential for various functions, including maintaining osmotic pressure, immune responses, and blood clotting.
Review the concept of osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure is the force exerted by solutes in a solution, which helps regulate the movement of water between compartments, such as blood vessels and tissues.
Identify the plasma protein responsible for osmotic pressure. Albumin is the primary plasma protein that contributes to osmotic pressure due to its high concentration in the blood and its ability to attract water molecules.
Compare the functions of the other plasma proteins listed in the options: γ-Globulins are involved in immune responses, α-Globulins transport molecules and perform enzymatic functions, and clotting proteins are responsible for blood coagulation.
Conclude that albumin is the correct answer because it plays a key role in maintaining osmotic pressure by preventing excessive fluid loss from blood vessels into surrounding tissues.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Osmotic Pressure
Osmotic pressure is the pressure required to prevent the flow of water across a semipermeable membrane due to solute concentration differences. In the context of plasma proteins, it plays a crucial role in maintaining fluid balance between blood vessels and surrounding tissues, preventing edema and ensuring proper circulation.
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6:12
Partial Pressure
Plasma Proteins
Plasma proteins are proteins present in blood plasma that perform various functions, including maintaining osmotic pressure, transporting substances, and playing roles in immune response. The main types include albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen, each contributing differently to physiological processes.
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02:50Proteins
Albumin
Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein, accounting for about 60% of total plasma protein content. It is primarily responsible for maintaining osmotic pressure in the blood, helping to regulate fluid distribution between blood vessels and tissues, and transporting various substances, including hormones and drugs.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Predict how abnormal hemoglobin proteins that contain only two iron ions, instead of four, would affect homeostasis.
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Textbook Question
Cirrhosis of the liver often reduces production of many types of plasma proteins, including albumin and clotting factors. Predict the effects on the body of decreased numbers of these proteins in the plasma. Would this also affect the number of γ-globulins in the plasma? Why or why not?
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Textbook Question
Which of the following is not a formed element of blood?
a. Erythrocyte
b. Leukocyte
c. Mast cell
d. Platelet
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