Saline

Saline refers to a solution that contains a significant concentration of salt, primarily sodium chloride (NaCl), dissolved in water. It is commonly used in medical and laboratory settings for various purposes, such as rehydration, wound cleaning, and as a vehicle for delivering medications. Saline solutions can be isotonic, hypotonic, or hypertonic, depending on their osmotic pressure relative to bodily fluids. Isotonic saline resembles the salt concentration of the body’s cells, which makes it useful for intravenous infusions. Hypotonic saline has a lower salt concentration, while hypertonic saline has a higher concentration, often used in specific clinical situations. In addition to medical uses, saline can refer to naturally occurring bodies of seawater or saltwater that contain a high saline concentration, essential in processes like osmoregulation in marine organisms.