Counteracting osmotic imbalance in a sequencing cell

A method of analyzing a molecule, the method comprising:

• forming a membrane that divides a first reservoir from a second reservoir, wherein the first reservoir has a first reservoir osmolarity, and wherein the second reservoir has a second reservoir osmolarity;
• flowing an electrolyte solution to the first reservoir, wherein the electrolyte solution has an electrolyte solution osmolarity that differs from the first reservoir osmolarity, thereby making a first change to a ratio of the first reservoir osmolarity to the second reservoir osmolarity;
• and
• applying a voltage across the membrane, wherein the membrane includes a nanopore, and wherein the voltage causes a net transfer of ions between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, thereby making a second change to the ratio of the first reservoir osmolarity to the second reservoir osmolarity, wherein the first change to the ratio and the second change to the ratio substantially counterbalance each other.