intracellular
Meaning of intracellular: Intracellular means located, occurring, or functioning inside a cell.
Definition of intracellular
Intracellular describes anything found or occurring within the boundary of a cell. It can refer to fluid, structures, molecules, biochemical reactions, signaling pathways, or organisms that live or reproduce inside host cells. The intracellular environment is separated from extracellular fluid by the cell membrane.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Potassium is present at a higher concentration in intracellular fluid than in extracellular fluid.
Good to know
Intracellular and extracellular describe opposite locations relative to the cell membrane. Some substances move between these compartments through channels, transporters, vesicles, or diffusion.
Word origin
Where “intracellular” comes from
Formed from intra-, meaning “within,” and cellular, meaning “relating to a cell.”