Standing gradient osmosis

Overview
Water absorption at the colon typically proceeds against a transmucosal osmotic pressure gradient.

The standing gradient osmosis is a term used to describe the reabsorption of water against the osmotic gradiet at the colon. This hypertonic fluid creates an osmotic pressure that drives water into the lateral intercellular spaces by osmosis via tight junctions and adjacent cells, which then in turn moves across the basement membrane and into the capillaries.