Plasmolysis
process in which cells lose water in a hypertonic solution
Plasmolysis is the process in which cells lose water in a hypertonic solution. It is the shrinkage of the cytoplasm and cell surface membrane from the cell wall. If a plant cell is placed in a solution of lower water potential, the molecules of water leave the vacuole by osmosis. The vacuole loses water and becomes smaller. The cell is said to be plasmolysed.
| Plasmolysis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A red blood cell in a hypertonic solution, causing water to move out of the cell. | |
| Medical specialty | Cell biology |
| Causes | Osmosis |
Before plasmolysis (top) and after (bottom)
Etymology
changeThe term plasmolysis comes from the Latin word plasma meaning ‘matrix’ and the Greek word lysis, meaning ‘loosening’.
