Which two constituents make up the extracellular fluid (ECF)?
Intracellular fluid and interstitial fluid
Interstitial fluid and plasma
Blood and plasma
Lymph and plasma
The Correct Answer is B
A. Intracellular fluid and interstitial fluid: Intracellular fluid is located within the cytoplasm of the cells and is separated from the extracellular environment by the plasma membrane. It represents a distinct fluid compartment from the ECF. These two combined represent total body water.
B. Interstitial fluid and plasma: The ECF is divided into the fluid bathing the cells and the liquid component of the blood. Interstitial fluid accounts for approximately 75% of the ECF, while plasma constitutes the remaining 25%. They exchange nutrients and waste across capillary walls.
C. Blood and plasma: Plasma is actually a subcomponent of whole blood, which also includes formed elements like erythrocytes and leukocytes. This choice incorrectly lists a component and its whole as the two primary ECF divisions. It ignores the significant volume of interstitial fluid.
D. Lymph and plasma: While lymph is a component of the ECF, it is essentially modified interstitial fluid that has entered the lymphatic system. The primary large-scale division of the ECF remains the distinction between the intravascular plasma and the extravascular interstitial fluid.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
False: Metabolic disorders, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, are primarily compensated for by the respiratory system through changes in ventilation. The lungs adjust the partial pressure of carbon dioxide to counteract the metabolic pH shift. Respiratory compensation occurs within minutes, whereas renal compensation takes days.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Respiratory rate decreases to retain CO2: To compensate for an alkaline pH, the respiratory center reduces minute ventilation to allow metabolic carbon dioxide to accumulate. This increases the partial pressure of CO2 and the subsequent production of carbonic acid. This respiratory compensation helps shift the pH back toward 7.4.
B. Respiratory rate remains unchanged: Failure to adjust the respiratory rate during a pH disturbance would allow the alkalosis to persist or worsen. The chemoreceptors in the carotid bodies and medulla are highly sensitive to pH shifts. They provide immediate feedback to modulate breathing and restore chemical equilibrium.
C. Respiratory muscles contract more frequently: More frequent contractions would increase the respiratory rate and deepen the alkalotic state by removing more carbon dioxide. This would be a maladaptive response to an already high pH. The body seeks to conserve CO2 rather than accelerate its removal during alkalemia.
D. Respiratory rate increases to eliminate excess CO2: This is the compensatory response for metabolic acidosis, not alkalosis. Increasing CO2 elimination raises the pH further, which would be dangerous in a patient who is already alkalotic. Respiratory alkalosis is characterized by this specific type of excessive CO2 loss.
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