A charge-filtration-diffusion model for microvessel permeability

Endothelial surface glycocalyx plays an important role in the regulation of microvessel permeability by possibly changing its charge and configuration. To investigate the mechanisms of how surface properties of the endothelial cells control the changes in microvessel permeability, we extended the charge-diffusion model developed by Fu et al. (2002) for the interendothelial cleft with a negatively charged surface glycocalyx layer, to include the filtration due to hydrostatic and oncotic pressures across the microvessel wall, as well as the electrical potential across the surface fiber layer. Based on hypotheses proposed in Curry (1994), the predictions from this charge-filtration-diffusion model provided a remarkably good agreement with experimental data for permeability of negatively charged α-lactalbumin summarized in Curry (1994) under various conditions.