Albumin is a multifunctional protein. Its biological functions include maintenance of oncotic pressure, solubilization and transport of hydrophobic substances, antioxidant function via its free sulfhydryl group at cysteine-34, metal binding at its N-terminus, immunomodulation and/or endothelial stabilization via binding and inactivation of endotoxin. Thus the beneficial effects of albumin infusion described above are probably not only due to plasma volume expansion but also to an improvement of various aspects of albumin function.