THE GIBBS-DONNAN EFFECT IN THE ORGANISM
CELLS CONTAIN IMPERMEABLE ANIONS
IF THEY WERE AT EQUILIBRIUM THE RATIO OF ALL MONOVALENT CATIONS WOULD BE THE SAME
THERE WOULD BE AN OSMOTIC PRESSURE DIFFERENCE CAUSING THE CELLS TO SWELL
ACTIVE TRANSPORT MAINTAINS A HOMEOSTATIC STEADY STATE IN WHICH THERE IS OSMOTIC BALANCE REGULATING THE CELL’S VOLUME