oncotic pressure
Plasma protein attraction
Oncotic pressure is the osmotic pressure exerted by proteins in blood plasma, particularly albumin.
It pulls fluid from tissues back into blood vessels, counterbalancing the hydrostatic pressure that pushes fluid out.
When plasma protein levels drop, oncotic pressure falls and fluid accumulates in tissues, causing edema: The patient's low albumin caused decreased oncotic pressure and swelling.
- colloidStable dispersed mixture
- osmoticConcerning membrane diffusion
- plasmaElectrified matter state
- albuminBlood and egg protein
- capillarySmallest blood vessel
hydrostatic · edema · fluid · membrane · starling · blood · protein · swelling · filtration · gradient · vessel · serum · interstitial · balance · diffusion · leakage · transudate · ascites
- osmosisosmosis, semipermeable membrane, semipermeable, osmometer, osmoregulation
- microcirculationcapillaries, arterioles, venules, microvessels, microcirculation
pressure, press, pressed, pressing, pressures, pressurize, pressurized, pressurization, depress