Water on the Move – Tonicity & Diffusion

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Familial Mediterranean Fever
Water on the Move – Tonicity & Diffusion

Time To Read

1–2 minutes

Date Last Modified

June 21, 2026

OVERVIEW

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

PART 6

PART 7

Quiz

CHART CLUE

The inflammasome is intracellular, pyrin lives in neutrophils, and microtubules – colchicine’s target – are part of the cytoskeleton A network of protein filaments that provide structure, shape, and movement to cells.. The transport half of the module finally explains Stina’s swelling, how an ion channel can trigger inflammation, and how a pump handles colchicine.

The Story

Stina’s effusions and swollen joints are waterThe universal solvent essential for life. obeying physics. Tonicity and osmosis explain why inflamed tissue swells; simple diffusionThe passive movement of molecules across a membrane without the use of transport proteins. explains how small moleculesGroups of atoms bonded together. move on their own, no energyThe capacity to do work or cause change. required. This is Module 1’s fluid story, now at the level of the cell.

From Stina’s chart: A hot, swollen knee once made her drop out of a hiking trip. It went down in two days, like always, and she almost didn’t mention it. It was the same inflammatory swelling, just at a joint.

Compare Stina’s uninfected appendixA small, finger-like pouch attached to the cecum, thought to play a role in immune function. to an infected appendix.

Activity:

Diffusion is free. But some moves cost energy – and one pump explains how cellsThe basic structural and functional units of life. handle colchicine.

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Crossing the Membrane – Facilitated & Active Transport