Need some help with a homework question..

[Tommyknocker]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, and look forward to partaking in some interesting discussions. To be honest though it is this stupid question that drove me to find a forum so I could ask what the answer should be... it doesn't really make sense.

"Why don't animal cells suffer from plasmolysis?"

Now I know plasmolysis is when a plant cell loses water to its surroundings due to osmosis, but doesn't this happen to animal cells too?

[sparklystars]

i'm not sure if i'm right, but isn't becuase animals have skin, which is one factor in keeping them from dehydration? Also, isn't it becuase when animals are "low" on water, they have the instict to go and seek water?

[dagaz]

Only plants cells can be affected by plasmolysis as only plant cells have a cell membrane which is surrounded by a semi-rigid (to rigid in some cases) cell wall. Plasmolysis occurs when a plant cell loses water due to osmosis at such a rate that the cell membrane shrinks faster than the cell wall - leaving a gap between the two.

[Tommyknocker]

Only plants cells can be affected by plasmolysis as only plant cells have a cell membrane which is surrounded by a semi-rigid (to rigid in some cases) cell wall. Plasmolysis occurs when a plant cell loses water due to osmosis at such a rate that the cell membrane shrinks faster than the cell wall - leaving a gap between the two.

 

Okay, I didn't get a chance to read this again yesterday so didn't see your reply in time, but I put because animal cells don't have a cell wall. I suppose this answer is correct then, I knew it must be something to do with the rest of the cell peeling away from it. Thanks anyway .

[5614]

plasmolysis is a plant cell thing. (as is osmosis)

 

water is kept in the vacuole, keeping the plant turgid and stopping it from collapsing,

animals dont need this and additionally there cells dont have vacuoles to store water in in the first place!

[atinymonkey]

When did osmosis become plant only?

[YT2095]

plasmolysis is a plant cell thing. (as is osmosis)

 

water is kept in the vacuole' date=' keeping the plant turgid and stopping it from collapsing,

animals dont need this and additionally there cells dont have vacuoles to store water in in the first place![/quote']

osmosis occurs in animal cells too (think of salts).

 

and I don`t think "Turgid" is the right word here either

 

see Turgid: http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/turgid

[Tommyknocker]

plasmolysis is a plant cell thing. (as is osmosis)

 

water is kept in the vacuole' date=' keeping the plant turgid and stopping it from collapsing,

animals dont need this and additionally there cells dont have vacuoles to store water in in the first place![/quote']

 

Uhm... that's not really plasmolysis . I know what plasmolysis is (when a plant cell loses turgidity and shrivels), just didn't know why this word was plant-only and didn't apply to animal cells (which can also lose water and shrivel). But I've gathered since then plasmolysis also means when the rest of the cell comes apart from the cell wall, which is rigid and doesn't 'shrivel'.

 

Edit- And osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration to low concentration though a semi-permeable membrane, which can apply to anything really, even man made substances.