Cell membrane and transport mechanisms VBS Home page,VBS Course Navigator, Cells,Cell Membrane and transport mechanisms.

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emember that all material that the cell gets from the environment or sends to the environment has to go through the cell or plasma membrane. !he membrane is basicall" a phospholipid bi#la"er $ith various proteins embedded into it. %hat&s 'e" to reali(e is that the cell membrane is semi permeable, that is some materials can get through the membrane $hile others can&t.

Chemicals that can pass through the membrane the membrane %ater Carbon dioxide )x"gen )ther ver" small polar molecules such as ammonia *ipids such as cholesterol

Chemicals that cannot pass through

+ll ions including h"drogen ions, mid to large polar molecules including glucose +mino acids Macromolecules such as proteins, pol"saacharides !ransport mechanisms fall into t$o catagories passive and active. Passive transport mechanisms do not re-uire the cell to do $or' for the substance to enter or leave the cell. .nstead the energ" involved comes from the 'inetic energ" of the molecules in solution. +ctive transport mechanisms involve the cell to use cellular energ" usuall" in the form of +!P to po$er special protein pumps to bring material into the cell.

Passive transport mechanisms

+ctive !ransport

mechanisms Simple diffusion )smosis /acilitated 0iffusion Simple protein channels 1ated channels +ctive transport via protein pumps Bul' flo$ mechanisms endoc"tosis phagoc"tosis pinoc"tosis exoc"tosis !he passive transport mechanisms and the protein pump mechanisms involve movement of substances as single molecules across the membrane. !he 2bul'2 flo$ mechanisms endoc"tosis and exoc"tosis enable the cell to ta'e in ver" large pac'ages of molecules...sa" a food item from the environment. Man" boo's treat these bul' flo$ mechanisms as seperate from active transport for that reason.