Re: tears
David Froehlich (eohippus@curly.cc.utexas.edu)
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 14:33:42 -0500
On 18 Oct 1995 jamesb@hgu.mrc.ac.uk wrote:
> Quite right, even though the tears are only as salty as body fluids, the
> weeper still loses salt.
>
You misunderstand basic physiology. The tears are isotonic to the body
fluids, this means, that while you loose salt, the salt balance of your
body is unchanged. Salt excretion mechanisms provide a method for the
body to get rid of excess salt. Consequently, in salt excretion glands
the solute concentration is much higher than that of the body fluids.
Physiologically there is no similarity.
David J. Froehlich Phone: 512-471-6088
Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory Fax: 512-471-5973
J.J. Pickle Research Campus
The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
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