HappMatt
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So my question is this does DMSO as someone in the lab I am working at says "it replaces the water in the cell" is that true??
From what I have read in journals a couple of journal articles they never said anything about it replacing the water. It did talk about thinning of the bilayer and at certain concentrations starting to form transient holes in the bi layer and even destroying the membrane at high enough concentrations. I was under the assumption that the DMSO helps prevent cell damage by helping relive osmotic stress and helping the water not to form crystals that damage the membrane. I'm guessing there is more to it than that but the idea that it totally replaces the water I wasn't to sure about and have yet to find a definitive answer.
From what I have read in journals a couple of journal articles they never said anything about it replacing the water. It did talk about thinning of the bilayer and at certain concentrations starting to form transient holes in the bi layer and even destroying the membrane at high enough concentrations. I was under the assumption that the DMSO helps prevent cell damage by helping relive osmotic stress and helping the water not to form crystals that damage the membrane. I'm guessing there is more to it than that but the idea that it totally replaces the water I wasn't to sure about and have yet to find a definitive answer.