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Osmotic Stress

Meaning

Osmotic Stress is a physiological state experienced by a cell or organism when the concentration of solutes in the extracellular fluid is significantly altered, causing an imbalance in water movement across the cell membrane. This stress can result from either hypertonicity, leading to cellular dehydration, or hypotonicity, leading to cellular swelling and potential lysis. Maintaining osmotic balance is a fundamental requirement for cell viability and systemic fluid homeostasis.