GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY

TRANSPORT ACROSS
THE CELL MEMBRANE
PART 1
BY: DR. HAMZA AL-TRAD
 TOPICS
• REVIEW FOR CELL MEMBRANE STRUCTURE
• DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECF AND ICF CONTENTS
• TRANSPORT ACROSS THE CELL MEMBRANE:
A. PASSIVE TRANSPORT (DIFFUSION):
1. SIMPLE DIFFUSION
2. FACILITATED DIFFUSION
3. OSMOSIS
B. ACTIVE TRANSPORT:
1. PRIMARY ACTIVE TRANSPORT
2. SECONDARY ACTIVE TRANSPORT
C. VESICULAR TRANSPORT
 REVIEW FOR CELL MEMBRANE STRUCTURE
• Cell membrane is composed of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates
• Lipids form a lipid bilayer
• The lipid bilayer allow movement of lipid soluble molecules only
• Protein are found in 2 forms: Integral and peripheral proteins
• Integral proteins forms channels and carriers that allow the movement of water
soluble molecules.
• If a substance can cross the membrane, the membrane is said to be permeable
to that substance and if a substance cannot pass the membrane is impermeable
to it.
• The plasma membrane is selectively permeable in that it permits some particles
to pass through while excluding others.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECF AND ICF CONTENTS
• ECF and ICF contains many molecules like ions, nutrients (glucose)
and gases but with different concentrations.
• ECF contains higher concentrations of Na+, Ca+2, HCO3-, Cl-, glucose
• ICF contains higher concentrations of K+, Mg+2, PO4-3, fatty acids,
amino acids and proteins.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECF AND ICF CONTENTS
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ECF AND ICF CONTENTS
 TRANSPORT ACROSS THE CELL MEMBRANE
• Cell membrane allow transport of molecules but with selective
properties.
• Lipid soluble molecules cross the cell membrane directly.
• Water soluble molecules need channels or carriers.
• Transport is achieved by 2 ways
1. Passive transport (by diffusion and without energy)  molecules
move down its concentration gradient
2. Active transport (requires energy)  Molecules moves against
their concentration gradient
Transport across the cell membrane
 PASSIVE TRANSPORT 
What do we mean by diffusion?
• Diffusion  is a continuous movement of molecules, in liquids or in
gases from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower
concentration until a state of equilibrium is achieved.
• 2 forces drive the movement of molecules by simple diffusion:
1. Chemical gradient (Concentration gradient)
2. Electrical gradient (For charged molecules such as ions)
• Diffusion is 3 types:
1. Simple diffusion
2. Facilitated diffusion
3. Osmosis (a form of simple diffusion)
Chemical gradient Electrical gradient
 PASSIVE TRANSPORT  Simple diffusion
• Simple diffusion means that kinetic movement of molecules or ions occurs
through a membrane opening or through intermolecular spaces.
• Simple diffusion can be achieved by 2 ways:
1. Directly through the membrane
2. Through protein channels
• It doesn’t involve any interaction with carrier proteins in the membrane (But
protein channels may be involved).
• Molecules that can be transported across the cell membrane by simple diffusion:
1. Lipid soluble molecules
2. Water (Osmosis)
3. Water soluble molecules (ions)
 Diffusion of lipid soluble molecules
• All lipid soluble molecules can dissolve directly in
the lipid bilayer and diffuse through the cell
membrane.
• The rate of diffusion of each of these substances
through the membrane is directly proportional to its
lipid solubility.
• Molecules with high solubility lipid solubilities are
oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and alcohols.
Diffusion of water and water-soluble molecules
• It is mediated through protein channels which are integral proteins.
• The protein channels are distinguished by two important characteristics:
1. They are often selectively permeable to certain substances
2. Many of the channels can be opened or closed by gates that are regulated by
electrical signals (voltage-gated channels) or chemicals that bind to the channel
proteins (ligand-gated channels)  Gating of protein channels
• The selectivity of the protein channels are determined by:
1. Diameter and shape
2. Electrical charges and chemical bonds inside the channel.
• N.B  Each ion has special protein channels for example  Sodium ion has its special
channels, which might be leaky (always open) or gated (voltage or ligand)
Ligand gated channels Voltage gated channels
Water and aquaporins
• Water diffuses by osmosis (form of simple diffusion) through special
protein channels called aquaporins
• Aquaporins permit rapid passage of water through cell membranes
but exclude other molecules.
• At least 13 different types of aquaporins have been found in various
cells of the human body.
• Aquaporins have a narrow pore that permits water molecules to
diffuse through the membrane in single file. The pore is too narrow to
permit passage of any hydrated ions.
 Factors that determine the rate of diffusion
• All are illustrated by Fick’s law:

• N.B  rate of diffusion has no maximum value (Vmax).

• N.B  For lipid soluble substances, lipid solubility is directly
proportional for their diffusion