Isotonicity refers to the state of having equal concentrations of solutes inside and outside of a cell or solution. When a solution is isotonic, there is no net movement of water into or out of the cell, as the concentration of solutes is balanced on both sides of the cell membrane.
Isotonicity can be adjusted by adding or removing solutes from a solution. For example, if a solution is hypotonic (lower solute concentration compared to the cell), solutes can be added to make it isotonic. Conversely, if a solution is hypertonic (higher solute concentration compared to the cell), solutes can be removed to make it isotonic.
Maintaining isotonicity is important for cells to function properly, as drastic changes in solute concentration can lead to cell swelling (in hypotonic solutions) or dehydration (in hypertonic solutions), which can ultimately impact cell function and potentially cause cell damage.
Define isotonicity and how it is adjusted
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