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Related Concept Videos

Osmosis00:47

Osmosis

Approximately 60% to 95% of the weight of living organisms is attributed to water. Therefore, maintaining appropriate water balance within cells is of paramount importance. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane, such as a cell’s plasma membrane. In living organisms, water plays a crucial role as a solvent—a molecule that dissolves other molecules.Diffusion Versus OsmosisBoth diffusion and osmosis are types of passive transport—cellular transport that does not require...
Tonicity in Animals00:59

Tonicity in Animals

The tonicity of a solution determines if a cell gains or loses water in that solution. The tonicity depends on the permeability of the cell membrane for different solutes and the concentration of nonpenetrating solutes in the solution within and outside of the cell. If a semipermeable membrane hinders the passage of some solutes but allows water to follow its concentration gradient, water moves from the side with low osmolarity (i.e., less solute) to the side with higher osmolarity (i.e.,...
Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure of Solutions02:40

Osmosis and Osmotic Pressure of Solutions

A number of natural and synthetic materials exhibit selective permeation, meaning that only molecules or ions of a certain size, shape, polarity, charge, and so forth, are capable of passing through (permeating) the material. Biological cell membranes provide elegant examples of selective permeation in nature, while dialysis tubing used to remove metabolic wastes from blood is a more simplistic technological example. Regardless of how they may be fabricated, these materials are generally...
Osmosis01:30

Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of free water molecules through a semipermeable membrane.  The water's concentration gradient across the membrane is inversely proportional to the solutes' concentration. Whereas diffusion transports material across membranes and within cells, osmosis transports only water across a membrane, and the membrane limits the diffusion of solutes in the water. Osmosis is a special case of diffusion.
Water, like other substances, moves from a high concentration of free water...
Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Osmolarity01:28

Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Osmolarity

Osmolarity is the measure of solute concentration in a solution. It plays a critical role in determining water availability for organisms. Water moves across semipermeable membranes through osmosis, flowing from regions of lower solute concentration (more dilute) to regions of higher solute concentration (more concentrated).In high-solute environments, microbial cells lose water, leading to dehydration and inhibited growth. The extent to which water is available to microbes in such environments...
Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State01:21

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State, or HHS, is a serious and life-threatening complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is characterized by three main features: severe hyperglycemia, profound dehydration, and elevated serum osmolality, all occurring without significant ketoacidosis.HHS typically develops in older adults or individuals with limited access to fluids. This may result from illness, cognitive impairment, or medications such as diuretics or corticosteroids. These factors reduce...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Characteristics of Precipitation-formed Polyethylene Glycol Microgels Are Controlled by Molecular Weight of Reactants
11:32

Characteristics of Precipitation-formed Polyethylene Glycol Microgels Are Controlled by Molecular Weight of Reactants

Published on: December 23, 2013

Dynamic membrane changes and osmotic effects by sugar alcohols.

Lichun Chen1,2, Feng Yao1, Songwen Xue1

  • 1Food Safety Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China.

NPJ Science of Food
|March 30, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol interact with cell membranes, affecting their structure and permeability. This study reveals their non-covalent binding to lipids, impacting cell function and providing new insights into their physiological roles.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Sugar alcohols are widely used as low-calorie sweeteners in food and pharmaceuticals.
  • Existing research often neglects the impact of sugar alcohols on cell membrane interactions.
  • Understanding these interactions is crucial for their physiological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction of sugar alcohols, specifically erythritol (Ery) and xylitol (Xyl), with cell membranes.
  • To model vesicle deformation and sugar alcohol permeation through real cell membranes.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying sugar alcohol-membrane lipid interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Giant phospholipid vesicle model creation and observation.
  • Fluorescence microscopy for membrane structure analysis.
  • Zeta potential measurements to assess membrane properties.
  • Investigation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HEK-293 cells.

Main Results:

  • Osmotic stress from sugar alcohol concentration gradients disrupted vesicle membrane structure.
  • Erythritol and xylitol reduced ROS levels and altered membrane permeability in HEK-293 cells.
  • Xylitol demonstrated increased vesicle adsorption onto cell membranes at equivalent concentrations.
  • Evidence of hydrogen bonding and non-covalent interactions between sugar alcohols and membrane lipids.

Conclusions:

  • Sugar alcohols modulate cell membrane structure and properties through non-covalent interactions with lipids.
  • These findings offer a theoretical basis for understanding the physiological roles of sugar alcohols beyond their sweetening effects.
  • The study highlights the importance of considering membrane interactions in the application of sugar alcohols.