What happens if endosmosis and exosmosis occur in excess?

Endosmosis and exosmosis are two types of osmosis that occur that water moves through a semipermeable membrane. Both are essential for the survival of cells but can have harmful consequences when they occur in excess. 

Consequences of Excessive Endosmosis 

Endosmosis is the inward movement of water from the surrounding environment into the cell. This occurs when the solute concentration in the cell cytoplasm is higher while the water concentration is lower than that of the surrounding environment. Endosmosis is important as it enables the cells to take in water and nutrients that are essential for survival. 

When endosmosis occurs in excess, the excessive water intake causes the cell to distend. As the cell swells, the contents of the cell exert turgor pressure on the cell membrane. If a cell wall is absent and the cell is surrounded only by a cell membrane, the excessive turgor pressure can cause the cell to burst. The presence of the cell wall plant cells prevent plant cells from bursting 

Consequences of Excessive Exosmosis

Exosmosis is the outward movement of water from the cell into the surrounding environment. This occurs when the solute concentration in the cell cytoplasm is lower while the water concentration is higher than that of the surrounding environment. Exosmosis is important as it helps to eliminate toxins from the cell.  

When endosmosis occurs in excess, the excessive loss of water causes the cell to shrink and become flaccid. The presence of a cell wall in plant cells prevents the entire cell from shrinking. However, the cell membrane and protoplasm shrink and draw away from the cell wall in a phenomenon known as plasmolysis.