The process of osmosis causes living cells of plants to lose water causing the contraction or shrinking of constituents of the cell, away from their cell walls.
As the cell wall shrinks, the shape is changed.
This is Plasmolysis and occurs in the state of hypertonic conditions.
The word Plasmolysis was generally derived from the Latin and Greek word plasma – The mould and lysis meaning loosening.
A good example of plasmolysis is the shrinking of vegetables when placed in a hypertonic medium.
During the process of Plasmolysis within the plant cell, the cell membrane separates the interiors of the cell from the surrounding.