Osmosis in a red blood cell, illustration - stock illustration

Osmosis in a red blood cell, illustration. Osmosis is the movement of water across the cell membrane in response to solute concentration differences. In a hypotonic solution, water enters the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst (haemolysis). In a hypertonic solution, water exits the cell, causing it to shrink (crenation). In an isotonic solution, there is no net water movement and the cell maintains its normal shape