High osmotic refers to a condition where there's an increased osmotic pressure difference across a cell membrane. According to the provided reference, this means the cell is subjected to increased external pressure or decreased internal pressure. For bacteria, it means less water is available in their surrounding environment.
In simpler terms, imagine a cell like a water balloon. Osmotic pressure is like the squeeze on that balloon. "High osmotic" means there's a strong squeeze either because something is pushing hard from the outside or because there isn't enough water inside pushing back.
Here's a breakdown:
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Increased External Pressure: The environment outside the cell has a high concentration of solutes (like salt or sugar). This draws water out of the cell. This is also known as osmosis.
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Decreased Internal Pressure: The cell doesn't have enough water inside to counteract the external pressure.
Feature | Description |
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High Osmotic Pressure | Increased external pressure on a cell or decreased internal pressure within the cell. |
Effect on Bacteria | Reduced water availability, which can inhibit growth and even cause cell death. |
Analogy | Imagine a water balloon being squeezed harder from the outside, or the water inside leaking and deflating. |
Example:
Think about preserving food with salt or sugar. The high concentration of these solutes creates a high osmotic environment that draws water out of bacterial cells, preventing them from growing and spoiling the food.