Intracellular fluid (ICF) is found in what?

Question

blood vessels; llymph; the cells of the body; the interstitial space; the cerebrospinal fluid

Answer 1

Fluid found within the cells is called intracellular fluid (ICF) and that found outside cells is called extracellular fluid (ECF). The extracellular fluid is further divided into that which is found as blood plasma within blood vessels, and that which is found in the microscopic spaced between cells called interstitial fluid.

Approximately 2/3 of body fluid is intracellular and 1/3 is extracellular. Of the ECF approximately 80% is interstitial fluid and 20% is blood plasma1.

There are some special fluid and compartments including: lymph; cerebrospinal fluid; synovial; aqueous humour/vitreous body of the eyes; endolymph/perilymph in the ears; pleural, pericardial and peritoneal fluid between serous membranes; and glomerular filtrate in the kidneys.

Selectively permeable membranes separate body fluids into distinct compartments. Plasma membranes of individual cells separate ICF from ECF and blood vessel walls separate blood plasma from interstitial fluid.

The major components of these fluids include water and solutes. The solute is mostly comprised of electrolytes: inorganic compounds that dissociate into ions. Electrolytes include cations (positively charged atoms – sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbonate) and anions (negatively charged atoms – chloride, sulphide, phosphate, bicarbonate).

Answer 2

Intracellular fluid is found between the cells of the body, in the interstitial space.