Chapter 27, Problem 1CP

Summary Introduction

To review:

The approximate volume of each of the body fluid compartments.

Introduction:

Body fluid is generally a liquid substance produced in the body and is made up of water as well as dissolved solutes. The percentage of body fluid with respect to the body mass varies in the male and female body. In a female body, the body fluid is about 55% (percent) of the total body mass and the percentage of the body fluid in a male body is about 60% of the total body mass.

Explanation of Solution

There are two main compartments, in which the body fluids are present, inside the cell and outside the cell. Based on the location, the body fluids are known as intracellular fluid or ICF and extracellular fluid or ECF.

ICFs are the fluid present within the cells and are the principal component of the cytoplasm or the cytosol. The ICF in the body makes up around 60% of the total water content within the body. ICFs are about two-thirds of the total body fluid.

ECFs are fluids present outside the cells and make up about one-third of the body fluid. It is made up of blood plasma and interstitial fluid. Eighty percent of ECF is interstitial fluid found in between the microscopic spaces of the tissue cells. The fluids, which are present along with interstitial fluid, are cerebrospinal fluid found in the nervous system, vitreous body and aqueous humour found in eyes, the synovial fluid found in joints, lymph present in lymphatic vessels, and peritoneal, pericardial, and pleural fluids found between the serous membranes. The remaining 20% ECF is blood plasma, which is the liquid component of the blood.

Conclusion

Thus, the main compartments, in which the body fluids are categorized, are ICF that makes up two-thirds of the total body fluid and ECF, which makes up rest of the volume.