Albumin's primary function is the maintenance of colloidal osmotic pressure. Albumin makes the largest contribution to the plasma osmotic pressure. Thus, albumin plays a predominant role in maintaining blood volume and body fluid distribution. Very low albumin concentrations develop edema. A mixed, important function of albumin is to bind and transport many metabolites which are poorly soluble in water such as fatty acids, bilirubin, inorganic constituent of plasma like calcium, certain steroid hormones and drugs. Buffering functions: Among the plasma proteins, albumin has maximum buffering capacity due to its high concentrations in blood.