Answer to Question #80983 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Chidera Uwandu

Question

if a patient is infused with an isotonic saline solution, where will the fluid end up? Extracellular environment? Intracellular environment? Both? Can you please explain your answer? Thank you so much!

Answer 1

The fluid will be in both environments at the end of the procedure. The cell immersed in an isotonic solution is in an equilibrium state - the fluid molecules diffuse through the cell membrane in an equal amount inside and out, without accumulating and not losing a cell.