What is plasmolysis in a plant cell?

Plasmolysis is the process in which a plant cell loses water and the cell membrane shrinks away from the cell wall.

This happens when the cell is placed in a hypertonic solution (a solution with higher solute concentration than the cell).

Process explanation:

• Water moves out of the cell by osmosis
• The cytoplasm contracts
• The plasma membrane pulls away from the rigid cell wall

Key points:

• It is a reversible process if the cell is placed back in a hypotonic solution
• It indicates loss of turgor pressure in plant cells
• Commonly observed in laboratory experiments using plant tissues

Plasmolysis helps in understanding osmosis and water movement in cells.