Diffusion and convection in normal and neoplastic tissues.

Abstract

Summary The hydraulic conductivity of s.c. and hepatocarcinoma tissue was determined by in vivo and in vitro experiments. A single parameter was developed to calculate the ratio of diffusive to convective flux of solutes in the extravascular space. Tissue glycosaminoglycan content and solute molecular weight are the two most important parameters which may determine whether the extravascular transport of solutes occurs predominantly by diffusion or by convection. The analysis has implications for transport of metabolic nutrients and wastes, drugs, hormones, plasma proteins, and viruses in the extravascular space.