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Osmotic Lysis and Crenation

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State

A cell swelling past its membrane's capacity will lyse, or burst; one losing too much water will crenate, or shrink and shrivel.

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A red blood cell in pure water lyses within moments; one in a concentrated salt solution crenates instead.

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A mistakenly hypotonic or hypertonic IV solution can lyse or crenate blood cells by this mechanism.