Interstitial fluid is the fluid that surrounds and bathes the cells of tissues, acting as a medium for the exchange of nutrients, waste products, and gases between blood and cells. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the body's internal environment and is part of the extracellular fluid compartment, along with plasma.

Interstitial Fluid

Interstitial fluid

extracellular fluid compartment

Homeostasis is the physiological process by which biological systems maintain stability and equilibrium in response to changing external conditions. It is essential for the survival of organisms, enabling them to regulate internal environments such as temperature, pH, and ion concentrations to ensure optimal functioning.

homeostasis

Nutrient exchange is a critical process in ecosystems where organisms transfer essential elements and compounds, ensuring the survival and growth of living entities. This exchange occurs through various biological, chemical, and physical interactions, facilitating energy flow and nutrient cycling across different ecological compartments.

Nutrient Exchange

Waste products exchange

Gas exchange is the biological process through which organisms exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with their environment, crucial for cellular respiration and energy production. This process occurs primarily in the lungs of mammals, gills of fish, and across the cell membranes of single-celled organisms, enabling life-sustaining biochemical reactions.

Gas Exchange

blood and cells

Tissue fluid, also known as interstitial fluid, surrounds the cells in tissues and acts as a medium for the exchange of nutrients, waste, and gases between blood and cells. It is formed by the filtration of blood plasma through capillary walls and is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and facilitating communication between cells.

Tissue Fluid

body's internal environment

Plasma is a state of matter, distinct from solids, liquids, and gases, characterized by its unique properties such as being electrically conductive and responsive to magnetic fields. It is composed of free electrons and ions and is found naturally in stars, including the sun, and artificially in neon lights and plasma TVs.

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