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Protein filtration and secretion at human body fluid barriers

  • Heart, Circulation, Respiration and Blood; Environmental and Exercise Physiology
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Abstract

The permeability properties of several bloodbody fluid barriers are evaluated by means of 1) barrier lines (protein concentration ratios versus hydrodynamic radii) and 2) two-dimensional protein maps. Under steady state equilibrium conditions the barrier is sufficiently characterized by a restriction parameter (serum/body fluid concentration ratio of an equivalent protein) and a selectivity coefficient (slope of the barrier line). It is possible to define an equivalent protein which depends upon the selectivity of the filtration process. Its serum/body fluid concentration ratio indicates the amount of serum proteins in “pure” filtrates. The steady state barrier line can be used to quantitate passively filtered and actively secreted protein portions. This approach is exemplified by the immunoglobulins of various body fluids, but should be applicable for any protein that fulfills defined requirements. The individual protein maps reflect the proportional contributions of serum filtration and local protein synthesis to the formation of a body fluid. The protein composition of serum filtrates depends primarily on the barrier selectivity irrespective of the total protein content. The selectivity of any filtration barrier is strongly influenced by the hydraulic conductivity of the barrier sites and the fluid dynamics of the secondary compartment. An attempt is made to formulate an universal filtration concept that is valid for all barriers from the highly selective kidney glomerulus to the poorly selective blood-CSF barrier.

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  1. Universitäts-Nervenklinik Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9, D-5000, Köln 41, Federal Republic of Germany

    K. Felgenhauer

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Felgenhauer, K. Protein filtration and secretion at human body fluid barriers. Pflugers Arch. 384, 9–17 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00589509

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