If red blood cells are cultured in an isotonic medium and then placed in distilled water, it is likely they will remain unchanged.
This is because in an isotonic solution, the concentration of the solute outside the red blood cell is equivalent to the level of solute concentration inside the cell. This means that through the process of osmosis, water is able to move into and out of the red blood cell without displacing any solute concentration levels as it moves at the same, constant speed. This in turn means that the shape and size of the red blood cells is likely to remain the same and will not be changed.
On the other hand, if the red blood cells were place in a hypertonic solution, they would get smaller in size. This is because in this type of solution, there will be more solute concentration levels outside the cell than the levels that are contained inside the cell. This means that during osmosis, the water from inside the cell will be forced out quicker meaning the cells will then begin to shrink and lose their original shape.
In hypotonic solutions, red blood cells will react in the opposite way. This is because there is more solute in the cell itself than there is in the solution that surrounds it. Through osmosis more water molecules will move into the cell causing it to increase in size. It could even end up bursting.
This is because in an isotonic solution, the concentration of the solute outside the red blood cell is equivalent to the level of solute concentration inside the cell. This means that through the process of osmosis, water is able to move into and out of the red blood cell without displacing any solute concentration levels as it moves at the same, constant speed. This in turn means that the shape and size of the red blood cells is likely to remain the same and will not be changed.
On the other hand, if the red blood cells were place in a hypertonic solution, they would get smaller in size. This is because in this type of solution, there will be more solute concentration levels outside the cell than the levels that are contained inside the cell. This means that during osmosis, the water from inside the cell will be forced out quicker meaning the cells will then begin to shrink and lose their original shape.
In hypotonic solutions, red blood cells will react in the opposite way. This is because there is more solute in the cell itself than there is in the solution that surrounds it. Through osmosis more water molecules will move into the cell causing it to increase in size. It could even end up bursting.
