Which mechanism allows saltwater fish to counteract osmotic water loss in hypertonic environments?

💡 Explanation

In hypertonic environments, saltwater fish experience osmotic water loss where water diffuses out of their bodies. To counteract this water loss, active chloride cell transport pumps chloride ions across their gill membranes because this creates an electrochemical gradient that facilitates water uptake. Therefore chloride cell transport results, since other mechanisms regulate water balance differently, or are less critical.

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