CHAPTER 4: Transport Substances through Cell Membranes

The Lipid Barrier of the Cell Membrane, and Cell Membrane Transport Proteins

- This membrane consists almost entirely of a lipid bilayer, but it also contains large numbers of protein molecules
in the lipid, many of which penetrate all the way through the membrane

*The box shows whether

it is extracellular or
intracellular

Diffusion

Diffusion Through the Cell Membrane

- Simple diffusion: kinetic movement of molecules or ions occurs through a membrane opening or through
intermolecular spaces without any interaction with carrier proteins in the membrane; can occur through the cell
membrane by two pathways:
(1) through the interstices of the lipid bilayer
(2) through watery channels that penetrate all the way through some of the large transport proteins

- Facilitated diffusion requires interaction of a carrier protein; carrier protein aids passage of the molecules or
 ions through the membrane by binding chemically with them and shuttling them through the membrane in this
form.

Transport of sodium and

potassium ions through
protein channels. Also shown
are conformational changes
in the protein molecules to
open or close "gates"
guarding the channels.

Facilitated Diffusion
- carrier-mediated diffusion because a substance transported in this manner diffuses through the membrane using
a specific carrier protein to help; the carrier facilitates diffusion of the substance to the other side.
- Although the rate of simple diffusion through an open channel increases proportionately with the concentration of
the diffusing substance, in facilitated diffusion the rate of diffusion approaches a maximum, called Vmax, as the
concentration of the diffusing substance increases

Effect of concentration of a substance

on rate of diffusion through a
membrane by simple diffusion and
facilitated diffusion. This shows that
facilitated diffusion approaches a
maximum rate called the Vmax.
 *Postulated mechanism for facilitated
diffusion.

- Among the most important substances that cross cell membranes by facilitated diffusion are glucose and most of
the amino acids. In the case of glucose, at least five glucose transporter molecules have been discovered in
various tissues.

Osmotic Pressure
- If in Figure 4-10 pressure were applied to the sodium chloride solution, osmosis of water into this solution would
be slowed, stopped, or even reversed. The exact amount of pressure required to stop osmosis is called
the osmotic pressure of the sodium chloride solution.

Figure 4-10. Demonstration of osmotic

pressure caused by osmosis at a
semipermeable membrane

"Active Transport" of Substances Through Membranes

Primary Active Transport

Sodium-Potassium Pump
- sodium-potassium (Na+-K+) pump, a transport process that pumps sodium ions outward through the cell
membrane of all cells and at the same time pumps potassium ions from the outside to the inside; responsible for
 maintaining the sodium and potassium concentration differences across the cell membrane, as well as for
establishing a negative electrical voltage inside the cells.

Although the function of the smaller protein is not known (except that it might anchor the protein complex in the lipid
membrane), the larger protein has three specific features that are important for the functioning of the pump:

1. It has three receptor sites for binding sodium ions 

2. It has two receptor sites for potassium ions on the outside.
3. The inside portion of this protein near the sodium binding sites has ATPase activity.

Postulated mechanism of the sodium-

potassium pump. ADP, adenosine
diphosphate; ATP, adenosine
triphosphate; Pi, phosphate ion.

Co-Transport of Glucose and Amino Acids Along with Sodium Ions

- Glucose and many amino acids are transported into most cells against large concentration gradients; the
mechanism of this is entirely by co-transport; transport carrier protein has two binding sites on its exterior side,
one for sodium and one for glucose; the concentration of sodium ions is high on the outside and low inside,
which provides energy for the transport. 

Postulated mechanism for sodium co-

transport of glucose.

Active Transport Through Cellular Sheets

The basic mechanism for transport of a substance through a cellular sheet is
(1) active transport through the cell membrane on one side of the transporting cells in the sheet
(2) simple diffusion or facilitated diffusion through the membrane on the opposite side of the cell.

Basic mechanism of active transport

across a layer of cells.