PhysiologyLesson 3 of 5 in the course Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance

Electrolyte Roles and Hormonal Regulation of Fluid and Mineral Balance

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Electrolytes are charged particles that support essential processes throughout the body. This lesson introduces their general roles and focuses on sodium and chloride, the major extracellular ions and important influences on fluid balance.

Electrolytes are ions in body fluids. They support nerve and muscle activity, help regulate hormone secretion and membrane permeability, stabilize some protein structures, and contribute to buffering body fluids. Because dissolved ions affect the concentration of particles in a fluid, they also help control the movement of water between cells and their surroundings.

All flashcards

What is an electrolyte?
An electrolyte is an ion in body fluids. Electrolytes support electrical signaling, fluid balance, and buffering, among other functions.
How does potassium contribute to electrical activity in cells?
The potassium concentration gradient across cell membranes helps establish the resting membrane potential in neurons and muscle fibers.
How does bicarbonate participate in carbon dioxide transport?
Carbon dioxide is reversibly converted into bicarbonate in red blood cells; in the lungs, the reactions reverse and carbon dioxide can be exhaled.
What are three functions of ionized calcium?
Ionized calcium supports muscle contraction, enzyme activity, and blood coagulation.
How does parathyroid hormone affect blood calcium and phosphate?
PTH raises blood calcium and increases phosphate loss through the kidneys.

Quiz questions

  1. What is a net effect of aldosterone in the distal renal tubules and collecting ducts?Answer: It increases sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion.
  2. How can excess extracellular potassium disrupt cardiac function?Answer: It can interfere with repolarization, impairing the heart's ability to relax between contractions.
  3. What is the principal role of calcitriol in calcium balance?Answer: It enables intestinal cells to absorb dietary calcium.
  4. Where is most of the body's phosphate found?Answer: Bound in bone and teeth as part of calcium-phosphate salts.
  5. Which mechanism can contribute to hypernatremia?Answer: Water loss from blood that concentrates its dissolved constituents.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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