Word parts
What it means
A passive process that needs no energy from the cell: particles spread out until they are even. In the lungs, oxygen diffuses from the air sacs (alveolusal-VEE-uh-lus (plural alveoli, al-VEE-uh-ly)One of the tiny air sacs at the ends of the smallest airways in the lungs.Full entry ) into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out. In dialysisdy-AL-ih-sisA treatment that removes wastes and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do it.dia- through, apart-lysis separation, looseningFull entry , waste products diffuse from the blood into the dialysis fluid across a membrane. Osmosis is the related movement of water across a membrane.
At a glance
| Spanish | difusión |
|---|---|
| Also written | diffuses, diffused |
Related terms
perfusion
The flow of blood through the body's tissues, bringing them oxygen and nutrients.
oxygenation
The process of getting oxygen into the blood and delivering it to the body's tissues.
dialysis
A treatment that removes wastes and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do it.
alveolus
One of the tiny air sacs at the ends of the smallest airways in the lungs.