Question

7.4 Osmotic estimate of molecular weight Chapter 5 discussed the use of centrifugation to estimate macromolecular weights, but this method is not always the most convenient. a. The osmotic pressure of blood plasma proteins is usually expressed as about 28 mm of mercury (see Appendix A) at body temperature, 303K. The quantity of plasma proteins present has been CHAPTER 7. ENTROPIC FORCES AT WORK STUDENT VERSION, JANUARY 17, 2003 l 256 measured to be about 60 g L 1. Use these data to estimate the average molar mass M in g/mole for these plasma proteins, assuming the validity of the dilute limit b. The filtration coefficient of capillary membranes is sometimes quoted as L 7.10-6 cm s atm 1 If we put pure water on both sides of a membrane with a pressure drop of Ap, the resulting volume flux of water is LpAp. Assume that a normal person has rough osmotic balance across his capillaries, but that in a particular individual the blood plasma proteins have been depleted by 10%, due to a nutritional deficiency. What would be the total accumulation of fluid in interstitial space (liters per day), given that the total area of open capillaries is about 250 m2? Why do you think starving children have swollen bellies?

Answer 1

hi Answer:

When a human being mostly children didn’t got food for long time the quantity of protein in his body reduced up to a critical point. The protein concentration is even less than the carbohydrates and lipids. This protein deficient state is called as Kwashiorkor. When there is very limited protein present in body or in blood stream, there is very less osmotic pressure is present to keep the fluid in blood vessels , due to this the fluid from vessels comes to tissues, which causes the swollen belly. The reason behind the swelling in belly is that in belly area there is a huge amount of blood vessels and from these blood vessels the fluid escape into tissues and belly get swelled.