Osmotic shock is a condition that inhibits cellular activity. This occurs when the concentration of either salts, substrates or any solute in the supernatant is so high that it draws water out of the cells. This also inhibits the transport of substrates and cofactors into the cell thus “shocking” the cell. This phenomenon is fueled by thermodynamic equilibrium. The presence of high concentrations of solute in the supernatant is unstable and to reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, causes a negative pressure inside the cell which starves it of vital compounds including water.