As a cell takes up glucose from surrounding interstitial fluid,
A) glucose will begin to diffuse back out of the cell because the concentration will eventually exceed that of the interstitial fluid.
B) solutes in the blood plasma will also begin to take up glucose from the interstitial fluid.
C) glucose will diffuse from blood plasma into the interstitial fluid.
D) glucose will begin to diffuse into and out of the interstitial fluid across capillary walls at the same rate.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

As glucose is taken up by the cell from the surrounding interstitial fluid, the concentration of glucose in the interstitial fluid decreases. This creates a concentration gradient that drives the movement of glucose from the blood plasma into the interstitial fluid. Therefore, glucose will diffuse from the blood plasma into the interstitial fluid. There is no reason to suggest that glucose would diffuse back out of the cell or that solutes in the blood plasma would take up glucose from the interstitial fluid. Option D is incorrect as it suggests that there would be no net movement of glucose into or out of the interstitial fluid, which is not consistent with the concentration gradient that is created when glucose is taken up by the cell.

As a Cell Takes Up Glucose from Surrounding Interstitial Fluid