1. Microcirculation: introduction
1) Capillaries are the site of diffusion of nutrients and waste between blood and tissue 2) Transcapillary exchange of fluid
Maintains plasma & interstitial flluid
Volume
Opposes edema formation ( Capillary Starling forces)
Lymphatic structure & function
Edema formation

2. Microvascular unit Venule Metarteriole Capillaries
Arteriovenous shunt (S)
Pre-capillary sphincters exist at the origin of each capillary
Arteriole

3. Structures in the microcirculation

4. Capillary Structure Capillaries:
Site of exchange by diffusion (some diffusion occurs in venules also).
Capillary walls are porous to small molecules:
Intercellular clefts
Fused vesicle channels

5. The Permeability Surface area term for diffusion across a capillary wall
The rate of diffusion of a molecule is proportional to area & concentration gradient, & inversely proportional to distance:
n = amount, t = time, D = diffusion coefficient, A = area, dC = concentration gradient, dx = distance.
Applied to the circulation, the equation for diffusion of molecules across the capillary wall is:
Where P is permeability of the capillary & S is surface area. Under most conditions P is constant & determined by the structure of the capillary wall.
Physiologically, the area S available for diffusion can be increased by recruiting more capillaries, which also decreases the distance (shorter intercapillary distance).

6. Transcapillary exchange of lipid soluble substances
Lipid soluble substances such as CO2, O2 & many anesthetics penetrate the capillary wall by diffusing via the lipid component of the endothelial cell membranes.
Capillary area for diffusion of lipid soluble molecules is maximal.
Transcapillary movement of macromolecules & cells
Molecules > 40 A can be transported across the endothelium by pinocytosis.
Leucocytes & lymphocytes migrate through intercellular clefts by ameboid movement.

7. Transcapillary exchange of water soluble substances
H2O, monosaccharides, amino acids, small peptides & organic acids and inorganic ions (Na+, K+, Ca++, etc) diffuse rapidly through intercellular clefts.
The area for diffusion of water soluble molecules is less than for lipid soluble molecules.
Capillaries have two types of endothelium:
Discontinuous endothelium capillaries have large clefts & gaps in basement membrane, relatively high permeability.
Continuous endothelium: basement membrane is continuous, intercellular clefts are ~ 40 angstroms diameter & have tight junctions. Molecules larger than 40 A, like proteins, cannot cross the wall by diffusion.
Discontinuous endothelium (liver, spleen, glomerulus, small intestine, endocrine glands, bone marrow)
Continuous endothelium (muscle, skin, lung, CNS)

8. Flow & diffusion limits on exchange`
Flow limited exchange: exchange of molecules that diffuse rapidly is limited by the rate of blood flow (examples: H2O and small molecules)
Diffusion limited exchange: exchange limited by diffusion because either
The molecules diffuse slowly (macromolecules) or
Diffusion distances are large
Flow-limited; Diffusion is rapid
flow
Diffusion limited;
Diffusion is slow
flow
With edema increased diffusion distance may limit supply of nutrients to tissues

9. Transcapillary exchange of fluid impacts plasma & interstitial fluid volumes
Total body water content is maintained nearly constant by control mechanisms that operate through thirst (input) and kidney function (output)
Total body water can be divided into
Extracellular fluid (ECF)
Plasma
Interstitial fluid including lymph
Intracellular fluid (ICF)
The distribution of fluid between plasma and interstitium depends on:
1. Osmotic pressure due to plasma proteins
2. Capillary hydrostatic pressure
3.Osmotic pressure due to proteins in interstitial fluid
4. Interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure
(These are the Starling Forces)
Imbalances in these factors may produce edema & decrease blood volume.
Edema is “a palpable swelling produced by expansion of the interstitial fluid volume.”

10. Osmosis
Osmotic pressure is pressure created by a difference in solute concentration across a semi-permeable membrane.
Osmosis is the passive diffusion of water from a region of low solute concentration (dilute solution, low osmotic pressure) to a region of high solute concentration (concentrated solution, high osmotic pressure).
Osmotic pressure due to protein molecules is called oncotic pressure.

11. Definition of an osmole
Osmotic Pressure depends on the concentration of particles in a solution..
An osmole is a unit that refers to the total number of particles dissolved in a solution. One osmole = x 1023 particles (Avogadro’s number).
One gram molecular weight of glucose dissolved in water will liberate one osmole of particles.
One mole of NaCl dissolved in water will yield two osmoles (Na+ and Cl-) of particles.
One osmole of glucose in one liter of water will yield a one osmolar solution.
Osmolarity is the number of osmoles/liter of solution.
Osmolality is the number of osmoles/kilogram of solvent.
The difference between osmolarity & osmolality for biological solutions is insignificant.

12. Normal plasma osmolality
Plasma solutes, millimoles/liter
Cations
Anions
Na+
135
Cl-
108 K+
3.5
HCO3- 24
Ca++ 2
Lactate 1
Sum
140.5
Albumin
0.6
133.6
Glucose 5
Urea 5
Grand total
284.1
mM = millimole = 1/1000th of a mole
mOsm = milliosmole = 1/1000th of an osmole
Normal plasma osmolality = 280 to 296 mOsm/liter

13. Starling forces in capillaries
OUT IN
F = K [(Pcap + i) – (Pi + cap)]
F = net movement of fluid across the capillary wall (ml/min)
Pc ap = capillary hydrostatic pressure (mmHg)
cap = capillary oncotic pressure* (mmHg)
Pi = interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure (mmHg)
I = interstitial fluid oncotic pressure (mmHg)
K = filtration constant: (determined by capillary surface area and permeability to water (ml/min)/mmHg)
*oncotic pressure = osmotic pressure due to proteins

14. Calculation of net filtration pressure
F ~ Pcap – cap
F = K [(Pcap + i) – (Pi + cap)]
Blood flow 
Pc ap = 37 mm Hg
i= 0
Pi = 1 mm Hg
cap = 25 mm Hg
Arterial end: Pcap > cap
Net filtration pressure =
(37 + 0) - (1 + 25) = 11 mm Hg
Venous end: Pcap < cap
(17 + 0) - (1 + 25) = - 9 mm Hg
Pcap =17 mm Hg
Negative value for net filtration pressure indicates net force favors absorption

15. Starling forces & lymph flow in various tissues
Pcap Pi
cap i
Lymph flow
NFP**
Hind limb (dog)
13.0 -5 21 4
0.015
+1.0
Skeletal muscle (rest)
10.1 -3 20 8
0.005
+1.1
Intestine (rest)
16.0 2 23 10
0.08
Intestine (digesting) 3 5
0.10
-5.0
Liver
7.0 6 22
-1.0
Lung 12
Cardiac muscle
23.1 15 13
0.12
+0.1
Glomerulus
50.0 28
2.0
+7.0
Peritubular capillary*
25.0 7 32
-7.0
*in the kidney
** NFP = net filtration pressure
Pressures are all mm Hg; lymph flow units are ml/min per 100 g tissue

16. Factors that influence lymph flow
Lymph flow is increased by
 Interstitial hydrostatic pressure
 Lymphatic contractions (smooth muscle) & valves
 Sympathetic stimulation of lymph vessels
Skeletal muscle pump

17. Lymphatic circulation
2 to 4 liters of fluid per day is filtered out of the capillaries, taken up by the lymphatics and returned to the systemic circulation.
systemic capillaries
Venous system
Interstitial fluid
Filtration 20 liters/day
Absorption 16 to 18 liters/day
Lymph flow 2 to 4 liters/day
systemic arteries
Right heart
Pulmonary circulation
Left heart
Terminal lymphatics are highly permeable to protein
Lymphatics are the only route for return to circulation of protein that leaves capillaries

18. Arteriolar Tone and Capillary Hydrostatic Pressure
Arteriolar constriction decreases Pcap
Arteriolar dilation increases Pcap
Changes in PCap will affect filtration & absorption
Effect on mean arterial pressure:
MAP = CO x TPR
Constriction of arterioles in one organ or tissue may be offset by dilation elsewhere, without causing a change in TPR and MAP
Widespread arteriolar constriction in many tissues will increase TPR and MAP (if CO doesn’t change).
Arterial pressure
Capillary hydrostatic pressure
dilation
constriction
Capillary
Artery
Arteriole

19. Absorption of interstitial fluid into the circulation compensates in hemorrhage
MAP = CO x TPR
Hemorrhage
 sympathetic nerve activity
 heart rate
 cardiac contractility
Restore MAP
 TPR
Cardiovascular reflexes
hypotension
 absorption of fluid into capillaries
Restore blood volume
 CO
Vasoconstriction
(skin, kidney, GI tract)
 capillary hydrostatic pressure
 hematocrit

20. Three physiological roles of arteriolar tone
Support arterial blood pressure
Direct distribution of flow between organs & tissues
Influence capillary filtration & absorption

21. Capillary hydrostatic pressure, mm Hg
Edema safety factors 30
(cap - i), mm Hg A 30
Lymph flow B 30
Pi, mm Hg C
Capillary hydrostatic pressure, mm Hg
A: As capillary hydrostatic pressure & filtration increase, tissue protein is diluted, i decreases, so cap - i increases, limiting further filtration.
(The y-axis in panel A is cap - I, the oncotic pressure gradient influencing filtration)
B: As filtration increases, lymph flow increases, limiting accumulation of fluid in the interstitium.
C: As filtration increases, fluid added to the interstitium increases Pi, decreasing the hydrostatic pressure gradient favoring filtration (Pcap – Pi)

22. Edema formation
Edema is a pathological accumulation of excess fluid in the interstitial space
Causes of edema:
Decreased plasma oncotic pressure
Kidney disease   urinary excretion of plasma protein
Liver disease  inadequate albumin synthesis
Increased capillary permeability to proteins
Tissue trauma
Anaphylactic shock
Increased venous & capillary hydrostatic pressure
Congestive heart failure
Blockage of lymphatics
Tumors
Parasites