title: Surface tension in human pathophysiology and its application as a medical diagnostic tool.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pathological features of disease appear to be quite different. Despite this diversity, the common feature of various disorders underlies physicochemical and biochemical factors such as surface tension. Human biological fluids comprise various proteins and phospholipids which are capable of adsorption at fluid interfaces and play a vital role in the physiological function of human organs. Surface tension of body fluids correlates directly to the development of pathological states.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, the variety of human diseases mediated by the surface tension changes of biological phenomena and the failure of biological fluids to remain in their native state are discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dynamic surface tension measurements of human biological fluids depend on various parameters such as sex, age and changes during pregnancy or certain disease. It is expected that studies of surface tension behavior of human biological fluids will provide additional information and might become useful in medical practice. Theoretical background on surface tension measurement and surface tension values of reference fluids obtained from healthy and sick patients are depicted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is well accepted that no single biomarker will be effective in clinical diagnosis. The surface tension measurement combined with routine lab tests may be a novel non-invasive method which can not only facilitate the discovery of diagnostic models for various diseases and its severity, but also be a useful tool for monitoring treatment efficacy. We therefore expect that studies of surface tension behavior of human biological fluids will provide additional useful information in medical practice.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Anahita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fathi-Azarbayjani
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolghasem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jouyban
keywords: Biological fluid; Interfacial tension; Medical diagnosis; Pathological disease