Tonicity is a measure of the effective osmotic pressure gradient; the water potential of two solutions separated by a semipermeable cell membrane. Tonicity depends on the relative concentration of selectively membrane permeable solutes across a cell membrane which determine the direction and extent of osmotic flux.

What is tonicity in biology?

Tonicity is defined as the ability of a solution surrounding a cell to cause that cell to gain or lose water (Urry et al., 2017). While osmolarity is an absolute quantity, tonicity is relative. ... If two solutions have the same concentration of nonpenetrating solutes, they are considered isotonic.

What do you understand by tonicity?

1 : the property of possessing tone especially : healthy vigor of body or mind. 2 : tonus sense 2. 3 : the osmotic pressure of a solution the cells swell and shrink with changing tonicity of the environment.