Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) Practice Exam

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Which solution causes blood cells to swell?

  1. Isotonic

  2. Hypotonic

  3. Physiological

  4. Hypertonic

The correct answer is: Hypotonic

A hypotonic solution is one that has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the inside of the blood cells. When blood cells are placed in a hypotonic solution, water moves into the cells through osmosis in an attempt to balance the solute concentrations inside and outside the cell. This influx of water causes the cells to swell, and if the difference in concentrations is significant enough, the cells can eventually burst, a process known as lysis. This phenomenon is critical to understand in various medical and laboratory contexts, such as when considering intravenous solutions or the proper storage of blood samples.

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