Body fluids compositions,

and their measurements

S.Akila

OBJECTIVES
a)Discuss the distribution of total body
H2O (TBW) in the body
b) List the ionic composition of different
body compartments

c) Explain the principles of measurements

Body as an open sytem

Body exchanges materials and energy
with its surroundings

Route

Range
(l/day)

Regulatory
influences

Insensible lungs

0.3-0.4

Atmospheric
vapor
pressure
(temperature)

Insensible skin

0.35-0.4

10x increase
in burn
victims

Sweat

0.1-2 (per
hour)

Temperature,
exercise

Feces

0.1-0.2

Diarrheal
disease

Urine

0.5-1.4-20

Body fluid
composition

FACTORS AFFECTING
Total Body H2O
varies depending on body fat:
1.

Infant: 73-80%

2. Male adult: 60%

3. Female adult: 40-50%
4. Effects of obesity
5. Old age 45%
6. Climate Level or physical activity

PERCENTAGE OF H2O IN TISSUES

FLUID COMPARTMENTS

EXTRA CELLUAR
CELLULAR
FLUID

PLASMA

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

CSF
Intra ocular
Pleural
Peritoneal
Synovial

INTERSTITIAL
FLUID

INTRA
(cytosol)FLUID

TRANSCELLULAR
FLUID

PERCENTAGE OF WATER IN TISSUES

Average 70 kg person
total body weight
42 litres total H2O
60%
28 l. Intracellular fluid (ICF)
40%
14 l. Extracellular fluid (ECF)
20%
% is important in fluid therapy
divided into ISF and plasma water
10.5 l. Interstitial fluid (ISF)
3.5 l. Plasma water

15%
5%

Regulation of H2O Intake

The hypothalamic thirst center is stimulated:

1.By a decline in plasma volume of 10%15%

2.By increases in plasma osmolality of 12%
3.Via baroreceptor input, angiotensin II, and
other stimuli

Solutes dissolved particles

1. Electrolytes charged particles
1. Cations positively charged ions
Na+, K+ , Ca++, H+
2. Anions negatively charged ions
Cl-, HCO3- , PO43-

2. Non-electrolytes - Uncharged
1. Proteins, urea, glucose, O2, CO2
11

APPROXIMATE IONIC COMPOSITION OF THE

BODY H2O COMPARTMENTS

Plasma Interstitial Cell

H2O
H2O
H2O

Disorders of H2O Balance: Dehydration

1 Excessive loss of H2O from

ECF

(a) Mechanism of dehydration

ECF osmotic
pressure rises

Cells lose H2O

3 to ECF by
osmosis; cells
shrink

Indicator Dilution Method

A known quantity of a substance such as

dye is administered into a specific fluid
compartment .These substances are
called indicators.
After administration the substance is
allowed to mix thoroughly
Sample of fluid is drawn & concentration
of substance is determined

CRITERIA FOR A SUITABLE DYE.

BODY FLUID MARKER

1. Must mix evenly throughout the compartment

2. Non toxic, no physiological activity
3. Even mixing
4. Must have no effect of its own on the distribution of H2O or other
substances in the body

5. Either it must be unchanged during the experiment or if it changes

, the amount changed must be known.

6. The material should be relatively easy to measure.

DILUTION PRINCIPLE
Principle of mass conservation
Based on using a marker whose concentration can be
measured.
concentration = mass/ volume

Volume = mass / concentration

Indicator dilution method is used to

measure ECF volume,Plasma volume
& the volume of total body water.

Indicators used for measuring plasma

volume, ECF volume and total body H2O
Compartmen Criterion
t

Indicators

1.

Plasma

Substance
1. Evans blue dye;
should not cross 2. radioiodinated fibrinogen;
capillaries
3. radioiodinated albumin

1.

ECF
volume

Substance
should cross
capillaries but
not cross cell
membranes

Isotonic solutions of sucrose,

inulin, mannitol, NaCl

1.

Total
body H2O
(TBW)

Substance
distributes
evenly in ICF &
ECF

Heavy H2O, tritiated H2O,

aminopyrine, antipyrine

Measurement of Total body

water

Volume of total body water is

measured by using a marker
substance which is distributed
through all compartments.

Total Body H2O (TBW)

1.

Deuterium oxide

2.

Tritium oxide

3.

Antipyrine

Measurement of ECF
Volume

Substances which pass through the

capillary membrane but donot enter the
cells are used to measure ECF Volume.
These substances are injected into blood
.It mixes with ECF within 30 minutes to 1
hour.Indicator dilution method is applied
to calculate ECF Volume

Example for measurement

of ECF

Quantity of sucrose injected : 150 mg

Urinary excretion of Sucrose : 10 mg
Concentration of Sucrose in Plasma : 0.01
mg/mL
Volume = mass / concentration
=Mass-Amount lost in urine
Concentration of sucrose in plasma

150-10mg
0.01mg/mL
= 14,000mL
Therefore the ECF
volume=14L

Measurement of Plasma
volume

The substance which binds with

plasma proteins strongly and diffuses
into interstitium only in small
quantities or does not diffuse is used
to measure plasma volume.

By Indicator dilution method

Dye used is Evans Blue or T-1824

Radioisotope method.

Determination of Blood cell

volume

Two methods
By hematocrit value
By radioisotope method

By haematocrit method

Blood volume=100 x Amount of

Plasma
100-PCV

By radioisotope method

Radioactive chromium is added with

heparinized blood and incubated for 2 hours
at 37 degree celcius.During this time all the
red cells are tagged with chromium.Then
this is injected intravenously.After giving
sufficient time for mixing a sample of blood
is drawn.Haematocrit value is determined
by measuring radioactivity in the blood
sample.

VOLUME MEASUREMENT OF VARIOUS

FLUIDS COMPARTMETNS
INTERSTITIAL FLUID
ECF Plasma Volume
INTRACELLULAR FLUID
TBW ECF