Question

A biologist working with cultured cells puts distilled water on the cells instead of serum (a portion of blood plasma). When she looks for the cells under the light microscope, all she sees is cell debris. What happened to the cultured cells?

A) The cells underwent apoptosis.
B) The cells underwent mitosis.
C) The cells lysed due to osmotic imbalance.
D) The cells became more robust and healthy.

Answer 1

The biologist accidentally placed distilled water on the cultured cells instead of serum, causing the cells to lyse due to osmotic imbalance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The biologist accidentally placed distilled water on the cultured cells instead of serum. When water enters a cell, it can cause the cell to swell and burst, a process known as lysis. Without the serum to provide the necessary solutes and maintain osmotic balance, the cells could not regulate the movement of water and became filled with water, leading to their destruction. Therefore, the correct answer is C) The cells lysed due to osmotic imbalance.