Which term describes the characteristic of a membrane to leak?

Which term describes the characteristic of a membrane to leak?

• A. Permeability
• B. Perfusion
• C. Petechiae
• D. Phlebotomy

Answer: (A)

Permeability describes how easily a membrane lets substances pass through it. When a membrane leaks, its permeability is increased, allowing water, ions, and other molecules to cross more readily. This leakiness is influenced by factors like the size and charge of the solute, its lipid solubility, and the presence of channels or pores, as well as the integrity of the barrier (tight junctions and the lipid bilayer). In medical contexts, higher permeability can lead to fluids and proteins seeping into surrounding tissues, causing edema. The other terms refer to different concepts—perfusion is blood flow to tissues, petechiae are small hemorrhagic spots, and phlebotomy is drawing blood—and do not describe the membrane’s leakiness.

Permeability describes how easily a membrane lets substances pass through it. When a membrane leaks, its permeability is increased, allowing water, ions, and other molecules to cross more readily. This leakiness is influenced by factors like the size and charge of the solute, its lipid solubility, and the presence of channels or pores, as well as the integrity of the barrier (tight junctions and the lipid bilayer). In medical contexts, higher permeability can lead to fluids and proteins seeping into surrounding tissues, causing edema. The other terms refer to different concepts—perfusion is blood flow to tissues, petechiae are small hemorrhagic spots, and phlebotomy is drawing blood—and do not describe the membrane’s leakiness.