# intracellular

/ˌɪntɹɑˈsɛɫjəɫɝ/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/intracellular
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

located or happening inside a cell. It describes things that stay within the tiny building blocks of a living body.

For teachers: located or occurring within a cell or cells. Often contrasted with extracellular and typically used in biological or medical contexts.

## Examples

- The virus needs to reach the intracellular space to replicate.
- Scientists are studying how intracellular signals tell a cell when it is time to divide.
- The researchers observed that the drug effectively increased intracellular calcium levels, which triggered a series of metabolic changes within the treated tissue samples.

## Usage notes

- Typically used in technical or scientific contexts; often precedes the noun it modifies.

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