What type of solution leads to the shrinking or shriveling of blood cells?

The type of solution that leads to the shrinking or shriveling of blood cells is a hypertonic solution. In a hypertonic environment, the solute concentration outside the cell is higher than that inside the cell. This causes water to move out of the cell through osmosis in an attempt to balance the solute concentrations on both sides of the cell membrane. As water leaves the cell, the cell loses volume and shrinks, which is observed as cellular crenation.

In contrast, an isotonic solution maintains the same solute concentration inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net movement of water and thus no change in cell size. A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration outside the cell than inside, leading to water influx and potential cell swelling or lysis. A buffered solution refers to a solution that resists changes in pH, and does not directly impact cell size in relation to osmotic pressure.