WGU D236 Pathophysiology Homeostasis Study Guide

WGU D236 Pathophysiology Homeostasis Study Guide a) Osmotic Pressure and Oncotic Pressure Osmotic pressure is the pressure needed to prevent solvent molecules from passing through a semipermeable membrane in a solution. In contrast, oncotic pressure is a sort of osmotic pressure caused by the proteins, mainly albumin, in the plasma (blood/liquid) of a blood vessel, which exerts a force that draws fluid back into the capillary. b) Intercellular Fluid, Extracellular Fluid, and Interstitial Fluid Extracellular fluids are the ones that are not within the cells and can be found in lymph, channels of the spinal cord and the brain, and blood. Intercellular fluids are the ones that are located within cells, while interstitial fluids are the ones that are contained in the spaces around cells.