1. the shrinkage of the cytoplasm of a plant cell away from the cell wall when the cell is placed in a hypertonic solution
Usage: biology term; commonly studied in plant physiology

Examples

• When a plant cell is placed in salt water, plasmolysis occurs as water leaves the cell.
• The student observed plasmolysis under the microscope after adding a concentrated sugar solution to the onion cells.
• Plasmolysis is a reversible process if the cell is returned to a hypotonic environment.
• The cytoplasm separates from the cell wall during plasmolysis, creating a visible gap.
• Understanding plasmolysis helps explain how plants respond to drought conditions.