• Question: What happens to animal cells and how do they change in a hypotonic state of condition?

    Asked by msraphaelamay to Alexis, Dr D, Helen, Jasmine, Mario on 17 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Alexis Barr

      Alexis Barr answered on 17 Jun 2013:

      Animal cells would absorb the water by a process known as osmosis. Because animal cells don’t have a cell wall (unlike plant cells which do), if they are left in a hypotonic solution they will eventually burst!

    • Photo: Jasmine Penny

      Jasmine Penny answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      Great question! So hypotonic means that the solution as a lower concentration of solutes that the solution inside the cell. In order to balance the two concentrations, water moves into the cell. Alexis is right, if you leave an animal cell in a hypotonic solution it will eventually burst.

    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      @msraphaelamay
      It’s true that the cells can burst but different cells are more sensitive to hypotonic states. Red blood cells pop really quickly. If you put a drop of blood on a plate, it is cloudy and you can’t see through it. Put a drop of water on and it will go clear! All the red cells have popped and the haemoglobin released.

      Other cells though as a lot more resistant to this. The white blood cells stay in one piece for a lot longer.

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