Major Extra And Intracellular electrolytes
(NOTES)
ELECTROLYTES: It is a substance that ionized when dissolved in suitable ionizing solvents, such
as water.
- These include more soluble acid, base and buffers.
- An electrolyte may be defined as concentrated if it has high concentration of ions or
dilute if it has low concentration of ions :
- The various body fluid components are :
1. Intracellular fluid
2. Extracellular fluid
3. Plasma fluid
1.) Intracellular fluid: This is the fluid which is present inside the cell. E.g.
cytoplasm , it consist of 12-15% of body weight and its volume is 30 liter
2.) Extracellular fluid : This is the fluid which is present between the cell. E.g. blood
plasma, it consist 12-15% of body weight and its volume is 10 liter.
3.) Plasma: This is the fluid which is present within the blood vascular system. This
consist of 4-5% of body weight and its volume is 3-5% liter.
- Electrolyte are used in replacement therapy and for the acid- base balance in various
body fluids.
- The electrolyte concentration of body fluid have been different in various body fluid
compartments .
- Major electrolytes found in body are calcium, potassium, phosphate, iron, magnesium,
chloride,sodium.
- Major physiological ions : Cation and anion
Major physiological ions
1. Calcium: - It is an important constituent of bones and teeth and it is also concerned
with the functioning of muscles and clotting mechanism of blood.
- Children require higher amount of calcium as it is needed for growth of tissues and
bones.
- Milk , milk products and green vegetables are rich in calcium . Wheat , jowar and bajra
are good source of calcium.
- Bone is also a storage tissue for calcium . At night, when a person sleeps or more without
food intake, reabsorption of the bone occurs in order to maintain blood calcium levels.
- Hypocalcemia is a condition resulted from calcium deficiency.
, 2. Magnesium : - It is the most cation in concentration in the intercellular fluid
compartments.
- Half amount of the total body magnesium (10-20g) is combined with calcium and
phosphorous in bone.
- It is used for protein synthesis and for the smooth functioning of the neuromuscular
system.
3. Sodium : - Sodium is the principal cation in the extracellular fluid compartments.
- This ion is required to maintain normal hydration and osmotic pressure.
- Sufficient amounts of sodium are present in the daily diet.
- Excess sodium is excreted by kidneys. About 80-95% of the sodium is reabsorbed in the
glomerular filtrate by a hormonal control.
- Deficiency of sodium cause hyponatremia.
- Excess of sodium cause hypernatremia.
4.Potassium: - It is the major intracellular cation, present in about 23 times higher than
present in the extracellular fluid compartments.
- During transmission of a nerve impulse, potassium leaves the cell and sodium enters the
cell and this mechanism is called the sodium – potassium pump.
- Excess of potassium is rapidly excreted by the kidney .
Deficiency- hypopotassemia
Excess – hyperpotassemia
5.Chloride: - It is the major extracellular anion of both interstitial and vascular fluids
compartments.
- It is required for maintaining prper hydration , osmotic pressure and normal cation-
anion balance.
- Food is the main source of chloride and it almost completely absorbed from the
intestinal tract.
- It is removed from the body by golmerular filtration and is reabsorbed by the kidney
tubules.
- Deficiency of chloride can cause Hypochloremia.
- Excess of chloride can cause Hyperchloremia.
6. Bicarbonate: - It is the second most prevalent anion in the extracellular fluid
compartments .
- Along with carbonic acid it is utilized as the body’s most important buffer system.
- A lack of bicarbonate causes metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis.
(NOTES)
ELECTROLYTES: It is a substance that ionized when dissolved in suitable ionizing solvents, such
as water.
- These include more soluble acid, base and buffers.
- An electrolyte may be defined as concentrated if it has high concentration of ions or
dilute if it has low concentration of ions :
- The various body fluid components are :
1. Intracellular fluid
2. Extracellular fluid
3. Plasma fluid
1.) Intracellular fluid: This is the fluid which is present inside the cell. E.g.
cytoplasm , it consist of 12-15% of body weight and its volume is 30 liter
2.) Extracellular fluid : This is the fluid which is present between the cell. E.g. blood
plasma, it consist 12-15% of body weight and its volume is 10 liter.
3.) Plasma: This is the fluid which is present within the blood vascular system. This
consist of 4-5% of body weight and its volume is 3-5% liter.
- Electrolyte are used in replacement therapy and for the acid- base balance in various
body fluids.
- The electrolyte concentration of body fluid have been different in various body fluid
compartments .
- Major electrolytes found in body are calcium, potassium, phosphate, iron, magnesium,
chloride,sodium.
- Major physiological ions : Cation and anion
Major physiological ions
1. Calcium: - It is an important constituent of bones and teeth and it is also concerned
with the functioning of muscles and clotting mechanism of blood.
- Children require higher amount of calcium as it is needed for growth of tissues and
bones.
- Milk , milk products and green vegetables are rich in calcium . Wheat , jowar and bajra
are good source of calcium.
- Bone is also a storage tissue for calcium . At night, when a person sleeps or more without
food intake, reabsorption of the bone occurs in order to maintain blood calcium levels.
- Hypocalcemia is a condition resulted from calcium deficiency.
, 2. Magnesium : - It is the most cation in concentration in the intercellular fluid
compartments.
- Half amount of the total body magnesium (10-20g) is combined with calcium and
phosphorous in bone.
- It is used for protein synthesis and for the smooth functioning of the neuromuscular
system.
3. Sodium : - Sodium is the principal cation in the extracellular fluid compartments.
- This ion is required to maintain normal hydration and osmotic pressure.
- Sufficient amounts of sodium are present in the daily diet.
- Excess sodium is excreted by kidneys. About 80-95% of the sodium is reabsorbed in the
glomerular filtrate by a hormonal control.
- Deficiency of sodium cause hyponatremia.
- Excess of sodium cause hypernatremia.
4.Potassium: - It is the major intracellular cation, present in about 23 times higher than
present in the extracellular fluid compartments.
- During transmission of a nerve impulse, potassium leaves the cell and sodium enters the
cell and this mechanism is called the sodium – potassium pump.
- Excess of potassium is rapidly excreted by the kidney .
Deficiency- hypopotassemia
Excess – hyperpotassemia
5.Chloride: - It is the major extracellular anion of both interstitial and vascular fluids
compartments.
- It is required for maintaining prper hydration , osmotic pressure and normal cation-
anion balance.
- Food is the main source of chloride and it almost completely absorbed from the
intestinal tract.
- It is removed from the body by golmerular filtration and is reabsorbed by the kidney
tubules.
- Deficiency of chloride can cause Hypochloremia.
- Excess of chloride can cause Hyperchloremia.
6. Bicarbonate: - It is the second most prevalent anion in the extracellular fluid
compartments .
- Along with carbonic acid it is utilized as the body’s most important buffer system.
- A lack of bicarbonate causes metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis.
