Albumin (a globular protein) is a solute found in blood plasma. In liver disease, people cannot produce sufficient amounts of albumin. Describe and explain how this change would affect red blood cells.
The solute potential of the blood plasma would be less negative or higher. Higher solute potential = higher water potential.
Water moves via osmosis from areas of high water potential to low water potential.
In patients with less albumin in their blood plasma, red blood dells would absorb more water and may burst. This is due to the cytoplasm within the red blood cells having a lower (more negative) water potential than the plasma.
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