A patient with appendicitis is likely to experience which clinical manifestations?

Choice A reason: Vasodilation increases blood flow, causing redness and heat, but doesn’t directly cause fluid leakage. Increased capillary permeability allows fluid to escape into tissues, causing edema, so this is incorrect for the primary cause of inflammatory edema.

Choice B reason: Increased capillary permeability, triggered by inflammatory mediators, allows plasma to leak into tissues, causing edema. This is the primary mechanism during inflammation, making it the correct choice for the cause of edema in the process.

Choice C reason: Neutrophil emigration fights infection but doesn’t directly cause fluid accumulation. Capillary permeability changes lead to edema, so this is incorrect for the cause of swelling in inflammation.

Choice D reason: Endothelial cell contraction contributes to permeability but is a secondary mechanism. Increased capillary permeability is the overarching process causing fluid leakage and edema, so this is less precise and incorrect.

Choice A reason: The egg would not stay the same size, as ocean water is hypertonic (higher salinity) compared to Lake Michigan’s fresh water. Osmotic differences drive water movement into the egg, causing swelling, making this an incorrect prediction.

Choice B reason: “None of the above” is incorrect, as the egg will swell due to osmosis. Fresh water in Lake Michigan has lower solute concentration than the egg’s cytoplasm, causing water influx, making this an invalid choice.

Choice C reason: The sea star egg will swell in Lake Michigan’s fresh water, which is hypotonic to the egg’s hypertonic cytoplasm. Water moves into the egg via osmosis, increasing its volume, making this the correct prediction for the egg’s response.

Choice D reason: The egg would shrink in a hypertonic environment, like concentrated saltwater, not fresh water. Lake Michigan’s hypotonic fresh water causes water influx, not loss, making shrinking an incorrect outcome for the egg.