How is CHOLERA bacteria fluid loss related to a potato in salt water?

Question

It's for a project. I just don't get it. You put a potato in salt water (something about concentration) and it increases in size. How is fluid loss, (which is what Cholera does) related to the potato?

Answer 1

salt water has a high solute concentration (hypertonic). if you put a potato in it, it will shrink because the water will leave it

cholera results in isotonic water loss....basically the salt leaving the body is the same concentration as in the blood. so there is no shrinkage of cells

you might want to verify this

Answer 2

I'm not sure what placing a potato in hypertonic saline has to do with Cholera infection (and I concur with the first author that it would likely shrink in a very salty solution rather than swell).  In terms of the pathophys of V. cholera infection, it's felt to be The activation of the A1 subunit by adenylate cyclase is responsible for the net increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP blocks the absorption of sodium and chloride by the microvilli and promotes the secretion of chloride and water by the crypt cells. The result is watery diarrhea with electrolyte concentrations isotonic to those of plasma, e.g. "rice-water stool."