1. of, relating to, or causing plasmolysis (the shrinking of a cell's cytoplasm away from its cell wall due to water loss in a hypertonic solution)
Usage: biology; technical

Examples

• The plasmolytic effect was observed when plant cells were placed in a concentrated salt solution.
• Plasmolytic conditions cause the cell membrane to separate from the cell wall.
• Students studied plasmolytic responses in onion cells under the microscope.
• The plasmolytic process is reversible if the cell is returned to a hypotonic environment.
• Plasmolytic solutions are commonly used in laboratory experiments to demonstrate osmosis.