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How does diabetes cause body cells to lose water??

Title-gcse aqa biology
There's a greater concentration of glucose in the blood due as it can't enter cells either because pancreatic cells aren't secreting insulin or insulin is less effective. Glucose is soluble so lowers water potential of blood below that of cell cytoplasm. Then think about osmosis and how that works.
Hope that helps
Reply 2
Original post by fridacatlo
There's a greater concentration of glucose in the blood due as it can't enter cells either because pancreatic cells aren't secreting insulin or insulin is less effective. Glucose is soluble so lowers water potential of blood below that of cell cytoplasm. Then think about osmosis and how that works.
Hope that helps


Ohhh is it bc osmosis is the movement of water from a dilute solution to a concentrated solution,and the glucose leads to the blood being more concentrated than the cells so they don’t move into the cell?
Basically. The water moves out of the cells via osmosis down the water potential gradient
Reply 4
Original post by fridacatlo
Basically. The water moves out of the cells via osmosis down the water potential gradient


OMG YES I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THIS its bc the cells are no longer the high concentration area, bc theres more glucose in the blood init making the blood more concentrated THANK YOUUU OMG I LOVE YOU FOR THIS
Original post by Sohello
OMG YES I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THIS its bc the cells are no longer the high concentration area, bc theres more glucose in the blood init making the blood more concentrated THANK YOUUU OMG I LOVE YOU FOR THIS

YES! Well done :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by Sohello
OMG YES I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THIS its bc the cells are no longer the high concentration area, bc theres more glucose in the blood init making the blood more concentrated THANK YOUUU OMG I LOVE YOU FOR THIS

That's right. Also, the extra glucose will be excreted by the kidneys into urine, pulling water along with it by osmosis. This causes people with diabetes to urinate more, which can cause dehydration.

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