Hypotonic

Hypotonic refers to a solution that has a lower osmotic pressure than another solution. In the context of biology, a hypotonic solution may be one where the concentration of solutes is lower outside the cell than inside it. This can cause water to move into the cell, potentially causing it to burst.

Overview

A hypotonic solution is one that has a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution. In the context of cellular biology, if the fluid surrounding a cell has a lower concentration of solutes than the cell's cytoplasm, the solution is said to be hypotonic. This can cause water to move from the hypotonic solution into the cell in an attempt to equalize the concentration of solutes. If too much water enters the cell, it can cause the cell to swell and potentially burst, a process known as lysis.

Hypotonic Solutions in Biology

In biology, hypotonic solutions are often discussed in the context of their effects on cells. When a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, water will move into the cell in an attempt to equalize the concentration of solutes. This can cause the cell to swell and potentially burst, a process known as lysis.

Clinical Significance

In a clinical setting, understanding the effects of hypotonic solutions is important for patient care. For example, if a patient is dehydrated, they may be given a hypotonic solution to help rehydrate their cells. However, care must be taken to ensure that the solution is not too hypotonic, as this could cause cells to take in too much water and potentially burst.

See Also

• Osmosis
• Isotonic
• Hypertonic
• Cell lysis

References

Hypotonic Resources
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