What is heterotonic?

Answer 1

Heterotonic refers to a solution or environment that has a different osmotic pressure compared to another solution, typically in a biological context. In this scenario, cells placed in a heterotonic solution may either gain or lose water, depending on whether the solution is hypertonic (higher solute concentration) or hypotonic (lower solute concentration) relative to the cell's internal environment. This can lead to various physiological effects, such as cell swelling or shrinking.