Exudation
Definition
noun
(1) The act, process, or condition of exuding, i.e. the oozing or passing gradually of fluid or semifluid from a structure or tissue (e.g. plant pores or via the blood vessel wall)
(2) The exudate itself
Supplement
The term exudation refers to the process or act of exuding. It may also refer to the exudate itself. An exudate is produced during inflammation. It oozes or passes gradually from a structure or tissue or through the blood vessel wall. The fluid is often a cloudy fluid or pus-like. It contains exudate cells, serum, and fibrin.
The term exude is used particularly to refer to the fluid oozing out or has discharged through pores, interstices, or incisions in plants, animals, and humans (see exudation).
Transudation is different from exudation. The former is caused by an increase in the hydrostatic pressure and a decrease in the colloid osmotic pressure whereas exudation is due to inflammation. The fluid produced by transudation has relatively lower protein content than that of exudation.
Word origin: Latin exsūdāre [ex- (out) + sūdāre (to sweat)]
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Related term(s):
Related form(s):
- exude (verb, to ooze out or be released gradually into nearby tissues or on tissue surfaces)
- exudate
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