If a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, what is likely to happen?
Water distribution across plasma membrane governed by water potential difference influenced by solute concentration and hydrostatic pressure. In hypotonic situation exterior fluid contains fewer effective impermeable solutes than cytosol, typically below 300 milliosmoles, so extracellular water activity exceeds intracellular. Osmotic pressure inside higher, chemical potential gradient favors net entry via lipid bilayer and aquaporin water channels that permit single-file diffusion at billion molecules per second. Animal cells lacking rigid wall expand, membrane tension rises, spherical shape a
Ref: Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, Chapter 11: Hypotonic Swelling and Regulatory Volume Decrease.
