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Albumin
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Albumin is the most abundant protein in plasma, the liquid part of blood. It is made by hepatocytes, the cells of the liver, and from there it is released into the circulation.
Once there, it does two jobs. The first is to sustain plasma oncotic pressure, the part of the pressure that depends on dissolved proteins, and through it albumin affects pressure at the wall of the capillary, the smallest vessel of all. Think of a sponge sitting in a glass of water, holding the liquid inside.
The second job is transport. Albumin carries ligands, the substances that bind to it: some from the body itself, such as bilirubin, ions and fatty acids, and others from outside, such as medications.
One surprising detail: of all the albumin that enters the circulation, only 30 to 40 percent stays in the blood.
In brief
Albumin is the most abundant protein in plasma, and it is made by hepatocytes in the liver.
It is the main regulator of plasma oncotic pressure and thereby affects pressure at the capillary wall.
A sponge sitting in a glass of water, holding the liquid inside.
It also carries the body's own ligands, such as bilirubin, ions and fatty acids, along with foreign ones such as medications.
Only 30 to 40 percent of the albumin that enters the circulation stays in the blood.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingPhysiology, Albumin, StatPearlsPublished
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