Hemolysis May Occur When a Blood Cell is Placed into A(n)

Question

Hemolysis may occur when a blood cell is placed into a(n) ________ solution.
A) isotonic
B) hypertonic
C) hypotonic
D) merotonic
E) homotonic

Accepted Answer

Hemolysis occurs when a blood cell is placed in a solution with a lower concentration of solutes (hypotonic solution). This causes an influx of water into the cell, which leads to swelling and eventual rupture of the cell membrane. In isotonic solutions, the concentration of solutes is equal to that of the cell, so there is no net movement of water and no hemolysis. In hypertonic solutions, the concentration of solutes is higher than that of the cell, which causes water to move out of the cell, leading to shrinkage (crenation) but not hemolysis. Merotonic and homotonic solutions are not scientific terms and do not have any meaning in the context of biology.