Understand the importance of water regulation in the body. The regulation of water level in the body is a very important physiological process that helps in sustaining proper functioning of all the systems of the body. This is so particularly due to the fact the blood plasma is predominantly composed of water that functions as the solvent and carrier medium for all nutrients of the body and for cellular components of the immune system. Also the water of the blood plasma is the carrier medium for oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules that travel in the blood bound to hemoglobin molecules to and from the lungs. In addition hormones of the endocrine system function appropriately due to the assistance of water as a carrier medium of the blood plasma that transports these important molecules to the various tissues of the body. Learn about the biological constituents of the blood plasma of humans. The blood plasma contains water as well as dissolved electrolytes such as sodium and potassium ions in addition to other organic compounds such as water soluble vitamins and proteins that are water soluble. These water soluble proteins can function as a facilitating factor for the solubilization

of water insoluble compounds such as the steroidal hormones. Water insoluble compounds in the body use simple mechanism to increase their solubility in the blood plasma by chemically binding to water soluble macromolecules such as proteins and carbohydrates. For all these reasons we see the importance of this essential medium for the sustaining of life in humans. For these reasons also the regulation of the level of this compound in the blood is regulated by more than two hormones of the body of humans. Study the medical disorders that are associated with water balance disturbances in the body of humans. Disturbances in the volume of blood plasma as manifested by low or high volume of water can lead to clinical symptoms that can be associated with hypertension or states of shock (hypovolemia). There are three main known regulators of water level in the blood and the extra cellular space. Two of them are protein hormones while the third is a steroidal hormone. The steroidal hormone that participates in the regulation of water in the blood is called aldosterone. It does this indirectly by regulating the level of sodium ions in the body. Water is linked to the sodium regulation in the

body by an osmotic effect that the concentration of sodium in the extra cellular space exerts. This effect is called osmotic effect. Be familiar with the main hormones that affect water levels in the body of humans. Increased level of aldosterone in the blood leads to the increased retention of sodium ions. The accumulation of this ion in the body leads also to the retention of water by an osmotic effect. Water in this case follows sodium ions. This hormone is one main regulator of water level in the body. Disturbances in the concentration of this hormone in the body can lead to clinical symptoms that are mainly associated with either increased blood pressure or low blood pressure. In the case of hypertension that results from an excessive amount of this hormone in the body edema of water accumulation in the cavities of the body can result. These are the main clinical symptoms that are associated with water level disturbances in the body as a result of changes in the concentration of this hormone in the blood. Aldosterone is a steroidal hormone that usually travels in the blood plasma using a water soluble carrier molecule that is usually either a protein or a carbohydrate

molecule. The other main regulator of water level in the blood is the hormone vasopressin. This is essentially the main regulator of water in the body. It has direct effects on the level of water in the blood. Vasopressin is a polypeptide hormone of approximately 10 amino acids chain length. This hormone has immense physiological effects on the level of water in the blood plasma. Study the clinical manifestations that are associated with water level disturbances in the body. Disturbances in the concentration of this hormone in the body have drastic clinical manifestations on the affected individual. This hormone is synthesized and secreted by specialized cells of the posterior pituitary gland. The mechanism of its function as related to the regulation of water in the body is well understood and is presumed to involve binding of this hormone to cellular receptors in the kidneys. For this reason proper functioning of the kidney cells is important also for keeping constant levels of water in the body. Vasopressin is usually deactivated in the liver cells by the effect of appropriate enzymes that can modify its chemical structure. Liver failure for this reason can affect water level in

the body due to the inability of the liver to neutralize this hormone which sustains its activity endlessly. Learn how hormones are deactivated after the completion of their physiological role in the body. All hormones of the body share this common characteristic of being neutralized chemically in the liver cells after performing its physiological function in the body. The third less important hormone of the body that has effect on water level in the body is called atrial natriuretic peptide. This is a protein hormone that is synthesized and secreted by specialized cells of the heart. This hormone is observed experimentally to lower blood pressure of people who have hypertension. This protein hormone is however less significant in its physiological effect than either the vasopressin or the aldosterone hormones. Other non-hormonal factors that contribute to the balance of water in the body include the level of electrolytes in the blood predominantly sodium ions which prevalent in the blood plasma and the extracellular spaces.