Consider the following statements regarding osmosis in animal cells : 1. If the water potential of the solution surrounding the cell is too high, the cell shrinks. 2. If the water potential of the solution surrounding the cell is too low, the cell swells and bursts. 3. It is important to maintain a constant water potential inside the animal body. 4. In animal cells, water potential far exceeds the solute potential. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Osmosis in animal cells is driven by water potential gradients. Statement 1 is incorrect because if the water potential of the surrounding solution is high (hypotonic), water moves into the cell, causing it to swell and potentially burst [2]. Statement 2 is incorrect because if the water potential is low (hypertonic), water leaves the cell, causing it to shrivel or shrink [3]. Statement 3 is correct; animal cells lack a rigid cell wall, making them vulnerable to osmotic pressure changes, thus the body must maintain a constant water potential (homeostasis) to prevent cell damage [3]. Statement 4 is incorrect; water potential (Ψ) is the sum of solute potential (Ψs) and pressure potential (Ψp). In animal cells, which lack significant turgor pressure, water potential is primarily determined by and roughly equal to the negative solute potential, rather than exceeding it. Therefore, only statement 3 is correct.

Sources

1. [1] https://ww2.jacksonms.gov/Resources/JYbllm/8OK155/AnimalCellPlacedInHypotonicSolution.pdf
2. [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557609/
3. [3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6457474/