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 Chemicals that cannot pass through
the membrane
%ater
Carbon dioxide
)x"gen
)ther ver" small polar molecules such as ammonia
*ipids such as cholesterol
+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.