Passive and Active

Transport
Jacqueline Hua
Azusa Pacific University
Passive Transport
Concentration Gradients
Concentration Gradients
Moving down the
concentration
gradient naturally
from areas of high
to low
concentration

Moving
against/up the
concentration
gradient from
areas of low to
high
concentration
 Diffusion
Facilitated diffusion

Active Transport
 Diffusion
● Random motion
● Net movement of substances
from areas of high
concentration to areas of low
concentration until equilibrium
is reached (concentration becomes
equal in the space and no net change)
● Only small uncharged
substances can easily diffuse
○ Ex., carbon dioxide, oxygen,
gases can easily diffuse ● Does NOT use energy!
Selective Membrane Transport
● Cell transport channels are selectively permeable, so only certain
molecules can enter
● Charged ions or large molecules cannot move between the
cytoplasm of a cell and the extracellular fluid without the
assistance of membrane transport proteins (ion channels)
○ Ion channels have a hydrated interior so ions can go either direction without
contact with nonpolar tails
○ Each molecule type has a specific transporter
 Diffusion
Facilitated diffusion

Active Transport
Facilitated Diffusion
● Carriers transport ions and other
solutes across the plasma
membrane
○ Does NOT require energy
○ Needs help crossing the street!

● Polar substances, charged ions

and/or large molecules need help ● Sugar and amino acids
from a membrane protein ● Glucose! (red blood cells)
○ Membrane proteins - channel proteins ● Chloride
or carrier proteins
Facilitated Diffusion (cont.)
● Concentration gradient exists for these substances, but the
transport protein protects them from the hydrophobic region as they
pass through a route
○ Substance charge and polarity prevents crossing region

● Essential characteristic of carriers

○ Specific - transports only certain molecules/ions
○ Passive - based on concentration gradients (high to low concentration)
○ Saturates - if all careers in use, increase in conc. gradient, not transport rate
**Can change shape,

Takes more time to reset

 Diffusion
Facilitated diffusion

Active Transport
Osmosis
● Diffusion of water, but NOT
solutes across the cell membrane
● Net water movement across a
membrane toward a higher
solute concentration

● In aqueous, water and solutes

diffuse
Osmosis
● Aquaporins
○ Channel proteins
○ Allow for water flow across the
membrane
○ Direction of movement depends on
concentration

● Important roles
○ Plant cells
○ Red blood cells
○ Kidney (minimize amount of water
lost as urine)
 Diffusion
Facilitated diffusion

Active Transport
Osmosis
● Osmotic concentration - concentration of all solutes in a
solution
● HYPERTONIC (hyperosmotic) - solution with the higher
solute concentration → water moves out → CELL SHRINKS

● ISOTONIC (isosmotic) - solute concentrations are equal

● HYPOTONIC (hyposmotic) - solution with the lower solute

concentration → water moves in → CELL SWELLS

○ Turgor pressure - vacuoles in plant cells

HYPERTONIC (hyperosmotic) ISOTONIC HYPOTONIC (hyposmotic) -
- solution with the higher (isosmotic) - solute solution with the lower solute
solute concentration → water concentrations are concentration → water moves
moves out → CELL SHRINKS equal in → CELL SWELLS

TURGOR

PRESSURE
Osmotic Pressure
• Hydrostatic pressure - pressure of the cytoplasm pushing out
against the cell membrane
• Osmotic pressure - pressure that must be applied to stop the
osmotic movement of water across a membrane
Animal cells Prokaryotes/plants

– Plasma membrane cannot – Prokaryotes/plants have

withstand large internal strong cell walls that
pressure or cell will burst withstand pressure
– Animal cells have to
maintain isosmotic
conditions
Maintaining Osmotic Balance
• Solutions to being
hypoosmotic to the
environment
– Extrusion
▪ Contractile vacuoles
– isosmotic solutions
– turgor
Active Transport
 Quiz!
https://jackie235896.typeform.com/to/MW0znO
Active Transport
● Moves substances up their
concentration gradient
● USES ENERGY
● Involves highly selective
protein carriers within
membrane
○ Requires assistance
from carrier proteins,
which change
conformation when ATP
hydrolysis occurs.
● Ex., the sodium-potassium
pump!
Sodium-Potassium Pump

● Against the flow of diffusion (net movement of

substances from areas of low concentration to areas of
high concentration)
● Uses ATP to 'pump' 3 sodium ions out of the cell and 2
potassium ions into the cell
○ 3 Sodium OUT
○ 2 Potassium IN
● PUMP K IN
● The sodium-potassium pump is important in the
movement of ions across cell membranes of muscle cells
(to help muscle contraction) and also for creating charge
imbalances across nerve cells (for generating electrical
impulses).
 CYTOPLASM

3 sodium ions from the The energized protein of the

ATP binds to an active site on
cytoplasm bind to lock and Na-K pump changes shape,
the protein forming the Na-K
key sites on the Na-K pump, releasing the 3 sodium ions to
pump, thus providing energy
ADP leaves the extracellular environment
for it
 Potassium ions are released to
the cytoplasm
Another ATP molecule binds to the
The protein of the Na-K pump active site on the protein and
2 potassium ions from the
changes shape as the energizes it, more Na+ ions bind to
extracellular environment bind to
phosphate group leaves the the membrane protein of the
lock and key sites on the protein of
protein's active site. Na-K pump to start the process
the Na-K pump.
over
Active Transport Types
● Coupled transport - uses energy stored in a gradient
of a different molecule
● Co-Transport - molecules move in the same
direction
● Counter transport - molecules move in opposite
directions
Bulk Transport (Active Transport)
• Endocytosis - enveloping food
– phagocytosis - material taken in is in particulate form
– pinocytosis - material taken in is in liquid form
– receptor-mediated - transport of specific molecules
• Exocytosis - discharge of material from vesicles at the
cell surface
 Active Transport
Comic Strip
1. Six squares of comics
2. Draw each step of
sodium-potassium
transport
3. Explain what is
happening at the
bottom of each square
To Do:
● Quick-Write
○ Write a short response (5 sentences)
summarizing the topics covered
today
● Complete comic strip