TonicityCells and their environment

Tonicity (root: tonic)Used to describe the environment around the

cell.

Environment can be:HYPERtonic = more soluteHYPOtonic = lessISOtonic = same

Cell

Cell

Cell’s environment

Solute = dissolved materials

Water Follows Solute

Cell swells. If the gradient is great enough, the cell will burst.Cell lysis = cell bursting

= Hypotonic Environment

Crenation = cell shrinking

= Hypertonic environment

Solute is equal inside and outside the cell.

Isotonic Environment