Plasmolysis

Plasmolysis is the process in which cells lose water in a hypertonic solution. It is the shrinkage of the cytoplasm and cell surface membrane from the cell wall. If a plant cell is placed in a solution of lower water potential, the molecules of water leave the vacuole by osmosis. The vacuole loses water and becomes smaller. The cell is said to be plasmolysed.

Plasmolysis
A red blood cell in a hypertonic solution, causing water to move out of the cell.
Causes	Osmosis
Frequency

Before plasmolysis (top) and after (bottom)

Etymology

The term plasmolysis comes from the Latin word plasma meaning ‘matrix’ and the Greek word lysis, meaning ‘loosening’.