interstitium

Examples of interstitium in the following topics:

• Bulk Flow: Filtration and Reabsorption

  • When moving from the bloodstream into the interstitium, bulk flow is termed filtration, which is favored by blood hydrostatic pressure and interstitial fluid oncotic pressure.
  • When moving from the interstitium into the bloodstream, the process is termed reabsorption and is favored by blood oncotic pressure and interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure.
  • Reabsorption is a two-step process beginning with the active or passive extraction of substances from the tubule fluid into the renal interstitium, and then the transport of these substances from the interstitium into the bloodstream

• Capillary Dynamics

  • The process depends on the difference of gradients between the interstitium and blood, with molecules moving to low-concentrated spaces from high-concentrated ones.
  • Movement from the bloodstream into the interstitium is favored by blood hydrostatic pressure and interstitial fluid oncotic pressure.
  • Alternatively, movement from the interstitium into the bloodstream is favored by blood oncotic pressure and interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure.
  • Due to the pressure of the blood in the capillaries, blood hydrostatic pressure is greater than interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure, promoting a net flow of fluid from the blood vessels into the interstitium.

• Nephron: The Functional Unit of the Kidney

  • As urine travels down the collecting duct system, it passes by the medullary interstitium, which has a high sodium concentration as a result of the loop of Henle's countercurrent multiplier system.

• Edema

  • Edema is caused by increased secretion of fluid into the interstitium or impaired removal of this fluid.