the disease kwashiorkor is caused by a diet which is very low in protein. the concentration of proteins in blood plasma is much lower than usual. one of the symptoms of kwashiorkor is swelling caused by build-up of tissue fluid. suggest why this is so.
1 answer
The low concentration of proteins in the blood plasma causes a decrease in the osmotic pressure of the blood. This decrease in osmotic pressure causes water to move from the blood into the tissues, leading to an accumulation of tissue fluid and swelling.