extracellular fluid

extracellular fluid

 in biology, body fluid that is not contained in cells. It is found in blood, in lymph, in body cavities lined with serous (moisture-exuding) membrane, in the cavities and channels of the brain and spinal cord, and in muscular and other body tissues. It differs from intracellular fluid (fluid within the cells) in that it generally has a high concentration of sodium and low concentration of potassium, while intracellular fluid is high in potassium and low in sodium. The fluid is often secreted by cells to provide a constant environment for cellular operations.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Extracellular fluid — (ECF) usually denotes all body fluid outside of cells. The remainder is called intracellular fluid.In some animals, including mammals, the extracellular fluid can be divided into two major subcompartments, interstitial fluid and blood plasma. The …   Wikipedia

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  • extracellular — adj. located or occurring outside of a living cell or cells; as, extracellular fluid. Opposite of {intracellular}. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Extracellular — In cell biology, molecular biology and related fields, the word extracellular (or sometimes extracellular space) means outside the cell . This space is usually taken to be outside the plasma membranes, and occupied by fluid. The term is used in… …   Wikipedia

  • extracellular — Outside the cells. * * * ex·tra·cel·lu·lar .ek strə sel yə lər adj situated or occurring outside a cell or the cells of the body <extracellular digestion> <extracellular enzymes> ex·tra·cel·lu·lar·ly adv * * * adj. situated or… …   Medical dictionary

  • extracellular — adj. situated or occurring outside cells; for example, extracellular fluid is the fluid surrounding cells …   The new mediacal dictionary

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