The meaning in this area of study is different from the concept of anatomic compartments, which are bounded by fasciae, the sheath of fibrous tissue that enclose mammalian organs.
Instead, the concept focuses on broad types of fluidic systems.
This analysis is used in attempts to mathematically describe distribution of small molecules throughout organisms with multiple compartments.
Various multi-compartment models can be used in the areas of pharmacokinetics and pharmacology, in the support of efforts in drug discovery, and in environmental science.
[1][verification needed] The relative percents of body mass of these are included in the following table.