Describe the anatomical and fluid compartments of the body. How do the lumens of hollow organs fit into these classifications? Which fluid-containing cavities are considered to be internal and which are external? Of those that are external, why are they external (give examples)? You may wish to design a flow chart to help answer this.

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The anatomical compartments are the cranial cavity, containing the brain; the thoracic cavity, containing the heart and lungs; and the abdominopelvic cavity, containing organs of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. The fluid compartments are the intracellular fluid (inside the cells) and the extracellular fluid (outside the cells). The extracellular fluids are found in the interstitial fluid between cells and the plasma of the blood, which is in the lumen of the circulatory system. Lumens of hollow organs such as the digestive and urinary tracts are part of the
external environment, whereas the intracellular and interstitial fluids are internal. The lumen of the circulatory system is also internal. External lumens are those that open to the outside environment. These openings include the mouth, nostrils, anus, urethral and vaginal orifices.

Anatomy & Physiology

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