extracellular fluid

extracellular fluid

n. Abbr. ECF

1. The interstitial fluid and the plasma, constituting about 20 percent of the weight of the body.

2. All fluid outside of cells, usually excluding transcellular fluid.

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extracellular fluid (ECF),

the portion of the body fluid comprising the interstitial fluid and blood plasma. The adult body contains about 11.2 L of interstitial fluid, constituting about 16% of body weight, and about 2.8 L of plasma, constituting about 4% of body weight. Plasma and interstitial fluid are very similar chemically and, in conjunction with intracellular fluid, help control the movement of water and electrolytes throughout the body. Some of the important ionized components of extracellular fluid are protein, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, calcium, and certain sulfates.

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extracellular

situated or occurring outside a cell or cells.

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extracellular constituents

all of the constituents of the body outside the cells; include water, electrolytes, protein, glucose, enzymes, hormones.

extracellular fluid

all of the body fluid lying outside the cells. Includes intravascular fluid or plasma and the interstitial fluid. That part of the extracellular fluid that is in special cavities which have special characteristics, e.g. synovial fluid, urine, aqueous humor of eye, are called transcellular fluids.

extracellular matrix

the network of proteins and carbohydrates that surround a cell or fill the intercellular spaces.

extracellular space

see intercellular.