What will happen and why to the size and or integrity of a s

What will happen and why to the size and or integrity of a sheep red blood cell when placed in an isosmotic solution? Please be specific in explanation. For animal physiology class.

Solution

Isosmotic solution refers to the solution whose solute concentration and osmotic pressure is equal to that of inside the cell. It differs from an isotonic solution, because isosmotic solution contains ions (solutes) which might be penetration or non-penetrating to the cells. Whereas, isotonic solution contains only non-penetrating ions.

The sheep red blood cell membrane here acts as a selectively permeable membrane and not a semi-permeable membrane as is the case with the normal process of osmosis. The osmotic pressure across the sheep red blood cell and the isosmotic solution in which it is placed is equal. But due to the presence of penetrating ions, these would enter through the cell membrane, increasing the solute concentration of the red blood cell. As a result, water will enter the red blood cell so as to attain osmotic equilibrium.

Thus, the red blood cell size would increase and cell would ultimately lose its integrity and burst.