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Tonicity

Definition

noun

A state of normal firmness or functional readiness of body tissues or organs; a condition of sustained partial contraction of resting or relaxed muscles.

Tthe osmotic pressure or tension of a solution, as in the cells would swell or shrink depending on the tonicity of the environment.

A property of a solution that depends on the osmotic force exerted across the membrane as influenced by the differing concentrations of solutes in and out of the cell.


Supplement

Word origin: from the Greek “tonos” = “tone
See also: hypotonicity, hypertonicity, isotonicity.


User contributions

A sum of ions in the solution determine the tonicity. In the other term H+ ion concentration in the solution determine the tonicity.


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Tonicity Explanation

Tonicity is the concentration of only the solutes that cannot cross the membrane, as only these solutes exert an osmotic pressure upon that membrane. Permeant solutes do not affect tonicity; impermeant solutes do affect it.

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by bryanwilliamz
Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:45 am
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Tonicity Explanation
Replies: 7
Views: 1222

Re: Tonicity Explanation

When a red blood cell is placed in distilled water, the cell is hypertonic to the water. The water is hypotonic to the cell. What is the hypertonic and hypotonic meaning in this sentence?

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by UnSHaVeNReaPeR
Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:40 pm
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Tonicity Explanation
Replies: 7
Views: 1222

Re: Tonicity Explanation

Then what is meant by hypotonic and hypertonic environment?

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by UnSHaVeNReaPeR
Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:15 am
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Tonicity Explanation
Replies: 7
Views: 1222

Tonicity Explanation

... that something displaces water so the water there is in lower concentration. This makes water diffuse into areas with more solute (higher tonicity). That's the process behind osmosis.

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by jonmoulton
Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:10 pm
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Tonicity Explanation
Replies: 7
Views: 1222

Tonicity Explanation

Can someone explain tonicity for me? I am kinda confuse. It seems to be so complicated.

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by UnSHaVeNReaPeR
Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:41 pm
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Tonicity Explanation
Replies: 7
Views: 1222
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