Cell will modify the substance as soon as it is acquired. Once changed the molecule that was acquired does not lower the gradient. Even though the gradient isn t being affected, the osmolarity is rising, because you have more particles. So, water is going to enter the cell. So, store substances as long chains.
E.g. glucose is stored as starch.
There are many molecules of glucose stored in one starch molecule, but when considering osmolarity, one molecule of starch is equal to one molecule of glucose. P. Active transport 1. Going against the gradient. Facilitated by proteins. Specific a certain pump can only transport certan molecules.