📘 Step 1 — Curriculum Coverage

This topic uses the AIM Learning Cycle to help MBBS students understand hemodynamics, capillary exchange, lymphatic circulation and edema formation by integrating Physiology, Histology and Clinical Correlation.

🔹 Histology

• Correlate capillary and lymphatic structure with fluid exchange and edema formation

🔹 Physiology

• Describe the biophysics and interrelationships of pressure, flow and resistance in terms of Ohm’s law and Poiseuille’s law
• Describe Starling forces
• Describe regulation of blood flow
• Define basal tone
• List several substances potentially involved in local metabolic control of vascular tone
• State the local metabolic vasodilator hypothesis
• Describe physiological vasodilators and vasoconstrictors and their mechanisms
• Describe the factors affecting local blood flow including autoregulation
• Describe the function of capillaries
• Describe circulatory changes during exercise
• Describe blood flow to different organs like brain, heart, liver and skin during exercise
• Describe the function of lymphatic system in the maintenance of interstitial fluid volume
• Describe the effects of interstitial fluid pressure on lymph flow
• Describe how changes in capillary hydrostatic pressure, plasma oncotic pressure, capillary permeability and lymphatic function can lead to tissue edema

🩺 Clinical Importance

• Correlate disturbances in capillary exchange and lymphatic drainage with edema and ankle swelling