Pick the correct answer to the following question. Write a brief statement explaining why each choice of answers is correct or incorrect.
In diabetes mellitus, because of insufficient insulin production, glucose cannot enter cells. instead it accumulates in the blood plasma. which of the following statements would be true under these conditions?
A. The concentration of the plasma would decrease.
B. the osmotic pressure of the plasma would remain the same.
C. Water would move out of the tissues into the plasma.
D. Tissue cells would swell.
Please help answer!
C.) Seems to be the most plausible answer.
The correct answer to the question is D. Tissue cells would swell.
Explanation:
In diabetes mellitus, due to insufficient insulin production, glucose cannot enter cells, and instead, it accumulates in the blood plasma. Let's analyze each answer choice to understand why D is the correct answer and why the others are incorrect:
A. The concentration of the plasma would decrease.
This statement is incorrect. In diabetes mellitus, the concentration of plasma would actually increase due to the accumulation of glucose. Glucose is a solute, and when its concentration increases, it leads to hyperglycemia.
B. The osmotic pressure of the plasma would remain the same.
This statement is incorrect. The osmotic pressure of the plasma would increase due to the presence of excess glucose. Osmotic pressure is related to the concentration of solutes in a solution, and when glucose accumulates, the osmotic pressure rises.
C. Water would move out of the tissues into the plasma.
This statement is incorrect. When there is a higher concentration of solutes (glucose) in the blood plasma, water tends to move from low solute concentration areas (tissues) to areas with higher solute concentration (plasma) through osmosis. As a result, water would move into the tissues, not out of them.
D. Tissue cells would swell.
This statement is correct. In the absence of insulin or insufficient insulin, glucose cannot enter cells to be utilized for energy. As a result, cells are deprived of the necessary energy source, leading to a condition called cellular starvation. To compensate, cells start breaking down stored glycogen and fats, which produces byproducts that cause water to move into the cells, leading to cell swelling.
Overall, it is important to understand the cellular and physiological changes associated with diabetes mellitus to correctly answer this question and grasp the implications of insufficient insulin production.