BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS

Cells of the different organs system need a constant supply of oxygen, nutrient, and
energy for proper functioning of the body which depends upon the exchange of ions and
nutrients between the cells and blood vessels, and also among the cells. In due course of
biological evolution, multicellular animals have developed the body fluids which help in the
movement of molecules and ions within
the body. This ensures that the body cells
have a constant steady state in response
to any environmental change.
The fluids are divided into two major fluid
compartments based on their location in
the body (Fig.1.6).
1. Intracellular fluid is present within the
cells and thus is enclosed by the cell
membrane.
2. Extracellular fluid (Plasma and interstitial fluid) is present outside the cells; within blood
vessels or in the space in between the cells.
Fig. 1.6: Fluid Compartments in the Human Body.
Intracellular Fluid (ICF)
The fluid present inside the body cells is called intracellular fluid (ICF). It is the principal
component of cytoplasm/cytosol and is enclosed by the cell membrane. Cytoplasm is the entire
aqueous content of the cells within the plasma membrane excluding the content of nucleus. On
the other hand, cytosol is the intracellular fluid which does not include the contents within the
membrane-bound organelles (mitochondria and Golgi body etc.). The pH of the intracellular
fluid is 7.4.
ICF makes approximately 60% of total water in the human body which amounts to
roughly 25 liters in an average-sized and healthy adult male. Most of the biochemical functions
take place in water medium. The cells regulate the water content and keep constant by
exchanging the material with extracellular fluids. Body cells cannot perform their normal
function, if volume of water in a cell is too low or too high. In fact, if a cell has excess water, it
may burst and get destroyed.
1.3.2 Extracellular Fluid (ECF)
The term extracellular fluid denotes all body fluids that are present outside the cells. It
accounts for approximately 1/3rd of the total body water. The ECF serves as an “internal sea”
from which the cells take up oxygen (O2) and nutrients; and in turn, discharge metabolic waste
products into it. It has optimum pH 7.4 which is required for normal functions of the cells.
 The extracellular fluid comprises three kinds of fluids; the blood plasma, the interstitial
fluid (IF) that surrounds all body cells except blood cells and transcellular fluid which is water-
based fluid released by the special cells of body.
(i) Plasma is an aqueous fluid of the blood present inside the vascular system. It is made up
of mostly water (93% by volume) that contains many dissolved proteins (i.e.
fibrinogens, globulins, and albumins), hormones, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions
(Na+ , Ca++, Mg++, HCO3 - Cl- etc.), and carbon dioxide. It accounts 25% of the total ECF.
It carries blood cells, nutrients and a range of materials through blood vessels to all cells
and tissues of the body.
(ii) The interstitial fluid (IF) is the extracellular fluid that travel amid blood capillaries and
body cells. It is outside fluid of the visceral system. The interstitial fluid is constantly
released from the blood plasma through the capillary walls so that the gases,
electrolytes, proteins, nutrients and waste products can move between cells and the
capillaries. Cell are separated from the IF by semipermeable plasma membrane that
controls the passage of a range of material between the IF and interior of the cells.
(iii)The transcellular fluid is the small portion of the body water found within the epithelial-
lined spaces. It accounts for about 1.5% body weight. It includes cerebrospinal fluid in
the brain and spinal cord, synovial fluid in joints, the gastrointestinal fluid in the
stomach, aqueous humor in the eyes, the pericardial fluid in the cardiac sac, peritoneal
fluid in the peritoneal cavity and pleural fluid in pleural cavities.
Body Fluid Composition
 The composition of body fluid
varies between different compartments of
body. It depends upon the exchanges
between the body cells and the blood. All
body fluids, ECF (blood plasma, interstitial
fluid) and ICF are formed mostly of water
along with some inorganic and organic
elements. Water content, it is in a semi-
solid liquid state as it is made mostly of
water and some organic and inorganic
elements. Our body consists of 70% water
by weight; of which 40% of the body
weight is due to intracellular fluid and
about 20-25% of the body weight is due to
extracellular fluid. Thus, water is the
common component of all body fluids that
supports life processes. It is regarded as the
living soup of the human body as most biochemical reactions of cells take place in aqueous
solutions. However, water is present in different proportion in the different parts of the body.

Observe Fig. 1.7 to know the % water present in our body parts.

The concentration of water varies in different parts of the body (organs and tissues), from as
little as 8 percent in the teeth to as much as 85 percent in the brain. Apart from water, body
fluids also contain many inorganic and organic substances. The compositions of the plasma and
IF of ECF are quite similar to each other than either is to the ICF. The inorganic elements and
proteins constituent the major proportions (95%) of the body fluids but they differ in their
composition in different body fluids. The sodium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate and
proteins are largely present in the extracellular fluid (blood plasma and IF) whereas ICF
contains higher concentration of potassium, magnesium and phosphate (HPO42 − ) etc. These
ions are important for water transport throughout the body. In contrast to extracellular fluid,
intracellular fluid has a high concentration of potassium ions and a low concentration of sodium
ions which facilitate the active transport of these ions via Na+ /K+ ATPase pumps which
maintains fluid composition of the ions in the cells. These inorganic ions act as electrolyte in
fluids. Electrolyte is an element or compound that breaks up into ions which are essential to
maintaining healthy body functions. As mentioned earlier, the most common electrolytes are
sodium, chloride, calcium, and bicarbonate present in major Table 1.1: Ionic concentration of
important electrolytes.
proportion in the body fluids though their concentration is balanced by the cells. The most body
fluids are neutral in charge.
Above table shows the difference in composition of electrolytes in intracellular (ICF)
and extracellular fluids (ECF). The continuous flow of materials in and out of fluids causes
difference in electrolytes composition in the body fluids. Cells maintains this difference as it is
essential to regulate healthy body functions.