Chapter: Medical Physiology: The Body Fluid Compartments: Extracellular and Intracellular Fluids; Interstitial Fluid and Edema

Intracellular Edema

Two conditions are especially prone to cause intracellular swelling: (1) depression of the metabolic systems of the tissues, and (2) lack of adequate nutrition to the cells.

Intracellular Edema

Two conditions are especially prone to cause intracellular swelling: (1) depression of the metabolic systems of the tissues, and (2) lack of adequate nutrition to the cells. For example, when blood flow to a tissue is decreased, the delivery of oxygen and nutrients is reduced. If the blood flow becomes too low to main-tain normal tissue metabolism, the cell membrane ionic pumps become depressed. When this occurs, sodium ions that normally leak into the interior of the cell can no longer be pumped out of the cells, and the excess sodium ions inside the cells cause osmosis of water into the cells. Sometimes this can increase intra-cellular volume of a tissue area—even of an entire ischemic leg, for example—to two to three times normal. When this occurs, it is usually a prelude to death of the tissue.

Intracellular edema can also occur in inflamed tissues. Inflammation usually has a direct effect on the cell membranes to increase their permeability, allow-ing sodium and other ions to diffuse into the interior of the cell, with subsequent osmosis of water into the cells.

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Medical Physiology: The Body Fluid Compartments: Extracellular and Intracellular Fluids; Interstitial Fluid and Edema : Intracellular Edema |