Definition

The liquid part of a cell's cytoplasm that surrounds the organelles and is not solid.

Example

The cytosol contains various molecules and ions that are essential for cellular processes.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of cytosol in biology class?

Yeah, it's the fluid part of the cell, right?

Exactly! It surrounds all the organelles and helps with cellular functions.

That's pretty cool — I didn't realize how important cytosol is for the cell.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cytosol is formed from "cyto-" (from Greek "kytos", meaning cell) and "sol" (from Latin "solutio", meaning solution). The term refers to the liquid component of the cytoplasm in which organelles are suspended, essentially the solution within a cell.

Memory Tip

Think of 'cyto-' meaning 'cell' and 'sol' referring to a 'solution' — this helps you remember that cytosol is the solution found within a cell.

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