Henri Dutrochet's theory of osmosis

Henri Dutrochet's theory of osmosis explains how water moves across a semi-permeable membrane, such as a cell membrane, from an area of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. He proposed that this movement occurs because water tends to balance concentrations on both sides of the membrane, driven by differences in "osmotic pressure." Essentially, water moves where there are more dissolved substances to dilute them, aiming for equilibrium. Dutrochet's work helped establish the understanding that biological membranes control water flow based on solute concentrations, forming a fundamental concept in cellular physiology.