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The two main fluid compartments are the intracellular and extracellular compartments. The intracellular compartment is the space within the organism's cells; it is separated from the extracellular compartment by cell membranes. [1] About two-thirds of the total body water of humans is held in the cells, mostly in the cytosol, and the remainder ...
In cell biology, molecular biology and related fields, the word extracellular (or sometimes extracellular space) means "outside the cell". This space is usually taken to be outside the plasma membranes, and occupied by fluid (see extracellular matrix). The term is used in contrast to intracellular (inside the cell).
Differences in the concentrations of ions giving the membrane potential. There is a significant difference between the concentrations of sodium and potassium ions inside and outside the cell. The concentration of sodium ions is considerably higher in the extracellular fluid than in the intracellular fluid. [23]
These receptors have extracellular, trans-membrane and intracellular domains. The extracellular domain is responsible for the interaction with a specific ligand. The intracellular domain is responsible for the initiation of a cascade of chemical reactions which ultimately triggers the specific cellular function controlled by the receptor.
Despite the small differences in their radii, [18] ions rarely go through the "wrong" channel. For example, sodium or calcium ions rarely pass through a potassium channel. Ion channels are integral membrane proteins with a pore through which ions can travel between extracellular space and cell interior. Most channels are specific (selective ...
Illustration of a eukaryotic cell membrane Comparison of a eukaryotic vs. a prokaryotic cell membrane. The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space).
The animal extracellular matrix includes the interstitial matrix and the basement membrane. [7] Interstitial matrix is present between various animal cells (i.e., in the intercellular spaces). Gels of polysaccharides and fibrous proteins fill the interstitial space and act as a compression buffer against the stress placed on the ECM. [8]
Broadly speaking, intercellular communication may be categorized as being within a single animal or between an animal and other animals in the ecosystem in which it lives. In this article, intercellular communication has been further collated into various areas of research rather than by functional or structural characteristics.