What is crenation? Definition of crenation

Crenation is the shrinking of cells, particularly red blood cells when placed in hypertonic solution. A hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes (such as salts and sugars) compared to the cytoplasm of the cell. When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, water molecules move out of the cell through osmosis, causing the cell to shrink and become distorted in shape. This process is known as crenation.

Crenation is the opposite of hemolysis, which is the bursting or destruction of red blood cells when they are placed in a hypotonic solution (a solution with a lower concentration of solutes than the cytoplasm of the cell). In a hypotonic solution, water flows into the cells, causing them to swell and potentially burst due to the increased internal pressure.