Tonicity effect

Definition of osmosis :
movement of a solvent (such as
water) through a semi permeable
membrane into a solution of
higher solute concentration that
tends to equalize the
concentrations of solute on the
two sides of the membrane.
Tonicity is a measure
of the effective osmotic
pressure gradient, as
defined by the water
potential of two
solutions separated
by a semi-permeable
membrane. In other
words, tonicity is the
relative concentration
of solutes(‫)المواد المذابة‬
dissolved in solution
which determine the
direction and extent of
diffusion.
It is commonly used when describing
the response of cells immersed in an
external solution.
Unlike osmotic pressure, tonicity is
influenced only by solutes that
cannot cross the membrane, as only
these exert an effective osmotic
pressure. Solutes able to freely
cross the membrane do not affect
tonicity because they will always be
in equal concentrations on both sides
of the membrane. It is also (tonicity ) a
factor affecting imbibition.
There are three classifications of
tonicity that one solution can have
relative to another:
hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic.
Hypertonicity
A hypertonic solution has a
greater concentration of
solutes than another
solution.The tonicity of a
solution usually refers to its
solute concentration
relative to that of another
solution on the opposite
side of a cell membrane; In
biology, a solution
outside of a cell is called
hypertonic if it has a
greater concentration of
solutes than the cytosol
inside the cell.
When a cell is
immersed in a
hypertonic solution,
osmotic pressure tends
to force water to flow
out of the cell in order to
balance the
concentrations of the
solutes on either side of
the cell membrane. The
cytosol is conversely
categorized as
hypotonic, opposite of
the outer solution.
A red blood cell in a hypertonic solution,
causing water to move out of the cell.
Hypotonicity
A hypotonic solution has a lower
concentration of solutes than another
solution. In biology, a solution outside of
a cell is called hypotonic if it has a
lower concentration of solutes relative
to the cytosol. Due to osmotic pressure,
water diffuses into the cell, and the cell
often appears turgid, or bloated. For cells
without a cell wall such as animal cells, if
the gradient is large enough, the uptake of
excess water can produce enough
pressure to induce cytolysis, or rupturing of
the cell. (When plant cells are in a
hypotonic solution, the
central vacuole takes on extra water and
pushes the cell membrane against the cell
wall. Due to the rigidity of the cell wall, it
pushes back, preventing the cell from
bursting. This is called turgor pressure)off
 A red blood cell in a hypotonic
solution, causing water to move into
the cell.
Isotonicity
A solution is isotonic when its
effective osmole concentration
is the same as that of another
solution. In biology, the
solutions on either side of a
cell membrane are isotonic if
the concentration of solutes
outside the cell is equal to the
concentration of solutes
inside the cell.

osmole :a unit of osmotic

pressure equivalent to the
amount of solute that
dissociates in solution to form
one mole (Avogadro's number)
of particles (molecules and
ions). Symbol Osm.
In this case the cell neither
swells nor shrinks because
there is no concentration
gradient to induce the
diffusion of large amounts
of water across the cell
membrane. Water
molecules freely diffuse
through the plasma
membrane in both
directions, and as the rate
of water diffusion is the
same in each direction, the
cell will neither gain nor
lose water.
Depiction of a red blood cell
in an isotonic solution.