General physiology: cell, membrane transport, homeostasis
Physiology · MBBS
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Study notes
A patient given pure water IV would suffer red cell bursting. Red cells sit in plasma (~0.9% salt). Pure water is hypotonic — water rushes into cells by osmosis, swelling and bursting them (hemolysis). That's why IV fluids are isotonic (normal saline, 0.9% NaCl) — matching plasma so no net water moves. Osmosis always chases equal concentration across the membrane.
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