Module 08 Lab Worksheet: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance

Module 08 Lab Worksheet: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance Pre-Lab Evaluation Questions The pre-lab evaluation questions must be answered prior to lab and demonstrated to your lab instructor. You must read through the assigned chapter readings, lab introduction, objectives, overview and procedure to answer these questions. Please cite your work for any reference source you utilize in answering these questions. 1. Compare and contrast the detailed characteristics to the intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF) compartments. The intracellular fluid of the cytosol or intracellular fluid is the liquid found inside cells. It is separated into compartments by membranes. The contents of a eukaryotic cell within the cell membrane, excluding the cell nucleus and other organelles is referred to as the cytoplasm. The cytosol is a complex mixture of substances dissolved in water. Although water forms the large majority of the cytosol, its structure and properties within cells is not well understood. The concentrations of ions such as sodium and potassium are different in the cytosol than in the extracellular fluid; these differences in ion levels are important in processes such as osmoregulation and cell signaling. The cytosol also contains large amounts of macromolecules, which can alter how molecules behave, through macromolecular crowding (Boundless, 2015). Extracellular fluid (ECF) or extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) usually denotes all body fluid outside of cells. In some animals, including mammals, the extracellular fluid can be divided into two major subcompartments, interstitial fluid and blood plasma. The extracellular fluid also includes the transcellular fluid; making up only about 2.5% of the ECF. In humans, the normal glucose concentration of extracellular fluid that is regulated by homeostasis is approximately 5 mm. The pH of extracellular fluid is tightly regulated by buffers and maintained around 7.4. The volume of ECF is typically 15L. Blood plasma is the straw-colored/pale-yellow liquid component of blood that normally holds the blood cells in whole blood in suspension. It makes up about 55% of total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid. It is mostly water and contains dissolved, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions hormones, and carbon dioxide (Boundless, 2015). 2. Describe how osmoreceptors, a decrease in blood pressure (or volume) and a dry mouth will activate the thirst center in the hypothalamus. The thirst mechanism causes a decrease in plasma volume and increase in plasma osmolarity causes dry mouth, in stimulating the hypothalamic thirst centers. Dry mouth results from a decrease in water filtered from the and therefore salivary gland receives less water, in turn producing less saliva. Additionally, hypothalamic stimulation occurs when water moves (due to hypertonic ECF) out of thirst center osmoreceptors by osmosis, causing osmoreceptors to become irritable and depolarize causing an individual to become thirsty (Verbalis, 2007). 3. Describe the process of edema, where it can occur in the body, and the symptomology that may be associated with it. Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the bodies tissues. Although edema can affect any part of the body, it's most commonly noticed in the hands, arms, feet, a...

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