Meaning & use

internal respiration

noun·Advanced

The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and the body's tissue cells.

See it in a sentence

Internal respiration occurs at the cellular level, as oxygen moves from capillaries into surrounding tissue.

The biology textbook contrasted internal respiration with external respiration, which happens in the lungs.

A note on using this word

Internal respiration is a cellular process, distinct from external respiration, which is the exchange of gases between the lungs and the air.

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