What it means
Part of the extracellular fluid, along with blood plasma. It bathes cells and carries nutrients and oxygen to them and wastes away. Fluid moves between the blood and the interstitial space all the time. When too much collects there, the tissue swells (edemaih-DEE-muhSwelling caused by extra fluid trapped in the body's tissues.Full entry ). Lymph vessels drain the extra back to the blood.
At a glance
| Spanish | líquido intersticial |
|---|---|
| Also written | interstitial fluids, tissue fluid |
Related terms
edema
Swelling caused by extra fluid trapped in the body's tissues.
lymph
The clear fluid that flows through the lymphatic vessels and carries white blood cells.
osmosis
The movement of water across a membrane from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated one.
tissue
A group of similar cells that work together to do a job in the body.