Osmosis in Plant and Human Cell Membrane

Exposed to Different Concentration of Solutes

Aduna, Naomi Bless S.
Department of Biology, College of Science, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
ABSTRACT

Keywords: Hemolysis, Crenation, Plasmolysis, Cell permeability

INTRODUCTION

Cell membranes act as a barrier for the cell.

It keeps together enzymes, DNA, and pathways
for metabolic reactions. Cell membranes
dispose of waste products from the cell and lets
important molecules, like water and oxygen,
into the cell (Liu et al., 2012). The membrane is
semipermeable, meaning only specific molecule
may enter the cell. The passing of molecules is
either through active transport (passage of
materials using energy) or passive transport
(passage of materials using kinetic energy).
Molecules are in constant, random motion
(Brownian motion) and if they collide with the
membrane, they will rebound. If the molecules
are headed toward an open pore in the cell
membrane, it may pass through the pore or

rebound depending on its size to the pore. The

passage of molecules across the cell
membrane from an area of high concentration
to low concentration is call diffusion (Frost and
Ulbritch, 2013).
The diffusion of water molecules across the
cell membrane is called osmosis. Osmosis is
the movement of water from a lower solute
concentration to a higher solute concentration.
Water is isotonic and moves freely across the
cell membrane and helps maintain its fluid
mosaic model characteristic (Stuart et al.,
2010).
The purpose of the activity is to examine
and record the osmotic response of plant cell
and animal cell when exposed under different
concentrations of salt solutions.
1

METHODOLOGY

In the center of a depression slide , 0.05

mL of 0.50 M NaCl and a small piece of
Tradescantia spathaceae leaf (stripped lower
epidermal layer of a leaf containing guard cells),
and a small drop of blood was added. The slide
was observed under the microscope to observe
swelling or shrinking of the cells. The step was
repeated sequentially with 0.5 and 0.05 M
solutions of KCl.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The activity was designed to observe the

process of osmosis in plant and animal cell
Concentrati
ons

Initial
(Stomata)

After
Treatment
(Stomata)
0.05 KCl
Open
Close
0.5 KCl
Open
Open
0.5 NaCl
Open
Close
0.05 NaCl
Open
Open
using Tradescantia spathaceae and Human
Red blood cells, respectively. Table below
summarizes the results obtained from the
experiment. Results showed that 0.5 M KCl and
0.05 M NaCl caused the plant cell to swell and
stomates to open indicating that these
concentrations are hypotonic solutions. 0.05
KCl can be considered as the isotonic solution
for it did not cause any observable effect in the
plant cell. On the other hand 0.5 M NaCl
caused the cell to shrink. Reduction of pigment
or plasmolysis was observed. Table 2
summarizes the results obtained when human
RBCs were exposed to varying concentrations
of salt solutions. Blood cells exposed to 0.05 M
NaCl, 0.5 M KCl undergone hemolysis or
bursting of the cell. Cells exposed to 0.5 NaCl
shrinked resulting to crenation. Moreover, the

cells exposed to 0.05 were in the initial stage of

hemolysis.
Table 1. Plant cells exposed to salt solutions
Table 2. Animal Cell exposed to Salt Solutions

Concentration

Observation

0.05 KCl
0.5 KCl

Initial Stage of
Hemolysis
Hemolysed

0.5 NaCl

Crenated

0.05 NaCl

Hemolysed

The movement of water across the cell

membrane depends on the concentration of
solutes on both sides of the cell membrane.
When water moves out of the cell, the cell will
shrink, and when water moves into the cell, the
cell will swell and possibly burst (Zhurova et al.,
2014). Cell walls are present in plant cells
which prevent the cell from bursting once it
swells. When water enters the plant cell, the
membrane is pressed up against the cell wall
and creates turgor pressure (Levental and
Levental, 2001).
Stomatal opening is the osmotic effect
of an accumulation of salts of K+, and
sometimes Na+, in guard cells. Chloride and
malate are the most important anions. Opening
and closing of K+ and Cl channels and the
resulting
changes
in
cytosolic
solute
concentrations of guard cells cause stomata in
leaves to open and close (Sakudo et al., 2009).
That is why plant cells exposed in hypertonic
solution undergone plasmolysis. Plasmolysis is
the shrinking of the protoplasm in a plant or
bacterial cell away from the cell wall, caused by
loss of water through osmosis (Bako 1985).
On the other hand, blood cells on 0.5 M
NaCl can be observed to have shriveled or
exhibited a crenated shape, which can be
attributed to being hypertonic. Due to the
2

greater amount of solute outside the blood cell,

the water would theoretically flow out to balance
the concentration outside the cell, reaching
equilibrium (Collander 1954). Blood cells on
0.05 M NaCl, 0.5 M KCl, and 0.05 M KCl
seemed to appear larger. This is due to the
absorption of water by the cell due to the
solution's hypotonic nature. Since the red blood
cell has more solutes than its environment,
water is flown inside to balance the
concentration of the cell, reaching equilibrium
(Walsh and Smith, 2001). Since the cell has
absorbed water, it will swell and most likely
undergo hemolysis.
Hemolysis is the deterioration of the red
blood cells membrane commonly detected by a
red or pink tinge in the plasma (Schafer and
Barfuss, 1980). This deterioration is due to the
entrance of the solution (mostly pure water) and
other substances. Since this solution is
hypotonic, water or the said hypotonic
substance would enter into the blood cell to
achieve equilibrium, causing it to expand and
burst. This bursting is hemolysis (hemo-blood
lysis-breakage). While Crenation is the
formation of different etchings on the cell wall
due to the exposure to a hypertonic solution.
Since the environment has more solute than the
red blood cell, the movement of water is
outward to attain equilibrium, causing the cell to
decrease in size and shrink (Strand 1983).

Figure 1. Image shows the effects of salt solutions in plant

and animal cell. Exposed to (upper left) hypertonic soln
(upper right) hypotonic soln (bottom left hypertonic soln
(bottom right) hypotonic soln

CONCLUSION

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