Question

Extracellular fluid - what is it/ what does it include?

A) Fluid outside the cells, includes interstitial fluid and plasma
B) Fluid inside the cells, includes cytoplasm and organelles
C) Fluid in the bones, includes bone marrow
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Extracellular fluid includes blood plasma, interstitial fluid, and lymph, providing a medium for nutrient delivery, waste removal, and maintaining physiological balances within the body.

Step-by-step explanation:

Extracellular fluid (ECF) refers to all body fluid outside the cells and includes components such as blood plasma, interstitial fluid, and lymph. ECF is essential for providing nutrients to cells, removing wastes, and maintaining a stable environment for cellular operations.

Approximately 20% of the ECF is found in plasma, which carries cells, proteins, electrolytes, nutrients, gases, and waste. The interstitial fluid, which makes up the majority of ECF, bathes and surrounds all cells except for blood cells.

Interstitial fluid facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste materials through a selectively permeable membrane, and has an average pH value ranging from 7.35 to 7.45. Components of ECF play a critical role in maintaining osmotic balance, anion-cation balance, and hydrogen ion concentration within the body. The fluid compartments of the body are separated by plasma membranes, with ECF encompassing all fluid that surrounds the cells.