Which component of blood transports waste lactic acid, hormones, and heat energy around the body?
In pregnant women, the presence of protein in the urine can be an early sign of pre-eclampsia. Name the chemical reagent used to test for the presence of protein in a urine sample.
Describe a chemical test that a midwife could perform on a urine sample to confirm the presence of protein.
Kwashiorkor is a form of severe protein malnutrition. Children suffering from kwashiorkor have extremely low concentrations of albumin and other proteins in their blood plasma, leading to a swollen abdomen due to the accumulation of tissue fluid (ascites). Explain how a low concentration of proteins in the blood plasma leads to the accumulation of tissue fluid in the abdomen.
Absorbed nutrients must pass from the lumen of the small intestine into the blood. Describe how the structure of the small intestine is adapted to maximise the rate of absorption of these nutrients.