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Ch. 3 The Cellular Level of Organization
Martini - Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology 12th Edition
Martini, Nath, Bartholomew12th EditionFundamentals of Anatomy and PhysiologyISBN: 9780137854011Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksMartini, Nath, Bartholomew 12th EditionCh. 3 The Cellular Level of OrganizationProblem 19
Chapter 3, Problem 19

When a cell is placed in a(n)___solution, the cell will lose water through osmosis. This process results in the___ of red blood cells
(a) hypotonic; crenation
(b) hypertonic; crenation
(c) isotonic; hemolysis
(d) hypotonic; hemolysis

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Understand the concept of tonicity and osmosis. Tonicity refers to the relative concentration of solutes outside the cell compared to inside the cell, which affects water movement by osmosis.
Step 2: Identify what happens when a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution. A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration outside the cell than inside, causing water to move out of the cell.
Step 3: Recognize the effect of water loss on red blood cells. When water leaves the cell, the cell shrinks and develops a spiky or scalloped appearance, a process called crenation.
Step 4: Match the correct terms to the scenario. Since the cell loses water, the solution must be hypertonic, and the resulting effect on red blood cells is crenation.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is the option describing a hypertonic solution causing crenation of red blood cells.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. This process aims to equalize solute concentrations on both sides of the membrane, affecting cell volume and shape.
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Osmosis

Tonicity of Solutions

Tonicity describes the relative concentration of solutes outside a cell compared to inside. A hypertonic solution has higher solute concentration outside, causing water to leave the cell; hypotonic is lower outside, causing water to enter; isotonic means equal concentrations, so no net water movement occurs.
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Environmental Tonicity Affects Cells

Effects on Red Blood Cells: Crenation and Hemolysis

Crenation occurs when red blood cells lose water in a hypertonic solution, causing them to shrink and develop a scalloped surface. Hemolysis happens in a hypotonic solution when water enters the cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Diffusion is important in body fluids, because it tends to

(a) Increase local concentration gradients

(b) Eliminate local concentration gradients

(c) Move substances against concentration gradients

(d) Create concentration gradients

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Textbook Question

How many amino acids are coded in the DNA segment:

CTC–ATA–CGA–TTC–AAG–TTA?

(a) 18

(b) 9

(c) 6

(d) 3

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Textbook Question

What are the four major functions of the endoplasmic reticulum?

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Textbook Question

The sodium–potassium exchange pump

(a) Is an example of facilitated diffusion

(b) Does not require the input of cellular energy in the form of ATP

(c) Moves the sodium and potassium ions along their concentration gradients

(d) Is composed of a carrier protein located in the plasma membrane

(e) Is not necessary for the maintenance of homeostasis

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Textbook Question

Microvilli are found

(a) Mostly in muscle cells

(b) On the inside of plasma membranes

(c) In large numbers on cells that secrete hormones

(d) In cells that are actively engaged in absorption

(e) Only on cells lining the reproductive tract

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Textbook Question

Suppose that a DNA segment has the following nucleotide sequence:

CTC–ATA–CGA–TTC–AAG–TTA.

Which nucleotide sequences would a complementary mRNA strand have?

(a) GAG–UAU–GAU–AAC–UUG–AAU

(b) GAG–TAT–GCT–AAG–TTC–AAT

(c) GAG–UAU–GCU–AAG–UUC–AAU

(d) GUG–UAU–GGA–UUG–AAC–GGU

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