I'm so confused... Intra cellular, extra cellular, crystalloid's, colloids?!

itsmejuli · Feb 3, 2010

Google is amazing

try searching "cellular processes animation"

"osmosis animation"

Write the definitions, draw pictures, read and watch animations.

Music in My Heart · Feb 3, 2010

A few basic concepts:

Intracellular - means within the cell just like intramural sports were within the school.

Extracellular - Outside of the cell (that is, the intravascular or interstitial spaces) just like extracurricular activities were those done outside of the school curriculum

Diffusion - Solutes (dissolved stuff) disperse throughout a solvent (the liquid) so that they're evenly distributed. Picture dropping food coloring into a glass of water.

Osmosis - If there is a barrier between two compartments, diffusion can be limited. Big particles can't get through the barrier. Small ones often can. Water is a very small molecule and will pass through a semi-permeable membrane from areas of very dilute solution to areas of highly concentrated solution.

Crystalloids - These are solutions of mineral salts (note, 'salt' is a chemical term that encompasses much more than just NaCl) and other soluble molecules. The term "crystalloid" derives from the property that many (most/all?) salts form crystals when they're dehydrated.

Colloids - A colloid mixture is one in which the constituents are dispersed throughout the medium. Conceptually, think of a snow globe after it's been shook up... the "snow" isn't dissolved, it's just dispersed. Blood is colloidal (though it also has dissolved components) in that it has things like RBCs, platelets, etc.

Ions - These are simply charged atoms or molecules... things like Na+ or some amino acids.