Plasmolysis, Imbibition

and Cyclosis
(BIO40A)
Learning Outlines:
1. Plasmolysis
2. Imbibition
3. Cyclosis
 PLASMOLYSIS
• The behavior of the plant cells (or
tissues) with regard to water movement
depends on the surrounding solution.
• If the external solution balances the
osmotic pressure of the cytoplasm, it is
said to be isotonic.
• A hypotonic solution has a lower
concentration of solutes than cytoplasm.
• Cells swell in hypotonic solutions.
• Cells shrink in hypertonic solution.
 PLASMOLYSIS
• Plasmolysis occurs when water moves out of
the cell and the cell membrane of a plant cell
shrinks away from its cell wall.
• Water moves out; it is first lost from the
cytoplasm and then from the vacuole.
• The water when drawn out of the cell through
diffusion into the extracellular (outside cell)
fluid causes the protoplast to shrink away
from the walls.
• The cell is said to be plasmolysed.
 Cyclosis
(Cytoplasmic streaming)
Thank you for your
attention!