Seawater is hypertonic to cytoplasm in vertebrate cells and in plant cells. If a red blood cell and a plant cell were placed in seawater, what would happen to the two types of cells?

• A. The red blood cell would burst, and the plant cell would shrink.
• B. Both cells will gain water, but cell walls will prevent both cells from bursting.
• C. Both cells would gain water by osmosis; the red blood cell would burst, and the plant cell would increase in turgor pressure.
• D. The red blood cell would shrink, and the plant cell would gain water.
• E. Both cells would lose water; the red blood cell would shrivel, and the plant plasma membrane would pull away from the cell wall.