What Is Crenation ?

Crenation is a phenomenon which occurs when cells of animal origin are exposed to a hypertonic solution, meaning that the solution which bathes the cells has a high concentrationof solutes. In crenation, the cells shrink and their shapes become distorted, often with a ruffled or scalloped edge. The change in cell shape can be seen in microscopy of the cells, and can be a sign that someone is experiencing a medical problem. Crenated cells may die as a result of impairments in cell function.

When animal cells are bathed in a hyper-tonic solution, it draws water out of the cells through a process known as osmosis. Water flows from areas of low solute concentration to areas of high solute concentration in an effort to stabilize the difference between the two solutions. Sometimes, particles small enough to pass through the cell walls may be drawn out along with the water, and in other cases, they remain behind because they are too big to move through the cell membrane.

As the water leaves the cell, it starts to shrivel, since much of its shape is due to the water inside which keeps it plump. Red blood cells display the results of crenation more markedly, transitioning from a round to a spiky shape. The term “crenation” is a reference to the scalloped shape of a crenated cell. Without water, the cell will have trouble functioning. 

Source :Internet