Body fluid compartments
Names and relative proportions of the main body fluid compartments. Volumes given are for young adults weighing 720 pounds (54.5 Kg); 1 liter is approximately equivalent to 1 quart. The water in the body is contained within the numerous organs and tissues of the body.
These innumerable fluids can be lumped together into larger collections which can be discussed in a physiologically meaningful way. These collections are referred to as compartments. The major division is into Intracellular Fluid (ICF: about 23 liters) and Extracellular Fluid (ECF: about 19 liters) based on which side of the cell membrane the fluid lies.
Intracellular fluid is found inside the two – layered plasma membrane of the body's cells, and is the matrix in which cellular organelles are suspended, and chemical reactions take place. Extracellular fluid : The interstitial compartment (also called extra – vascular compartment or tissue space) is the space that surrounds the cells of a given tissue. It is filled with interstitial fluid. Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. It makes up about 55% of total blood volume. It is the intra – vascular fluid part of extracellular fluid.