Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Learning Objectives 2
Warm Up 2
Bibliography 14
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Lesson 4.5
Introduction
Knowledge of cellular architecture and its mechanisms is the key to understanding the
different cellular processes as well as the diseases that may arise when they become
defective. Just like how humans need transportation for their daily lives when going to
destinations such as offices, schools, churches and other places, the cell also needs a
means of their own transport for large molecules. These large molecules take an important
role in the cell that is why it is important to transport it inside. These large molecules are
also needed by the systems of our body that is why after being processed inside the cell,
they still need to be transported outside. This lesson will cover two major methods of
cellular transport.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 1
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Warm Up
Materials
● happy transport family game cards
Procedure
1. Each student should print the set of cards given in the link below. Cut each card and
paste it on a cardboard beforehand. Use the dotted lines as a guide on where to cut.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 2
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 4
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
matrix. Exocytosis can be constitutive and regulated. Constitutive exocytosis is important
in transporting proteins like receptors that function in the plasma membrane. On the other
hand, regulated exocytosis is triggered when a cell receives a signal from outside. The
summary of the process of exocytosis is shown in Fig. 4.5.1.
Fig. 4.5.1. Comparison of constitutive and regulated exocytosis mechanisms in the cell
The cells of certain organs are specialized to produce and export molecules. For instance,
pancreatic cells produce digestive enzymes or insulin, and anterior pituitary cells produce
growth hormone, among other hormones. The secretory vesicles for these cells accumulate
near the plasma membrane. These vesicles release their contents only when the cell is
stimulated by a signal received at the plasma membrane. For example, the blood sugar
rises, this condition signals the pancreatic cells to release the hormone insulin. This
condition is called regulated secretion because vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane
only when the needs of the body trigger it to do so. Summary for the types of exocytosis is
presented in Table 4.5.1.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 5
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Table 4.5.1. Summary of the types of exocytosis
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 6
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Table 4.5.2. Summary of the types of endocytosis
Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis is an endocytic pathway in which the material such as food particles or
another cell was taken in. This process is common in unicellular organisms such as
amoebas. It also occurs in humans because of white blood cells which are called amoeboid.
These cells are mobile just like an amoeba and they can engulf debris such as worn-out red
blood cells, viruses, bacteria, cancerous body cells or other large particles. When an
endocytic vesicle fuses with a lysosome, digestion occurs. The cell engulfs the particle by
wrapping around extensions called pseudopodia then packs it within a
membrane-enclosed sac called vacuoles. The vacuole then fuses with a lysosome, whose
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 7
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
hydrolytic enzymes digest the contents of the vacuole. The process of phagocytosis is
shown in Fig. 4.5.2.
Fig. 4.5.2. The process of phagocytosis and pinocytosis
Pinocytosis
The process of pinocytosis occurs when vesicles form around a liquid or around very small
particles. Some cells that use pinocytosis are blood cells, cells that line kidney tubules,
intestinal walls, and plant root cells. They use pinocytosis to ingest the substances. This
mechanism still involves a significant amount of plasma membrane because it occurs
continuously. Although this is the case, cells do not shrink in size because the loss of plasma
membrane due to pinocytosis is balanced by the occurrence of exocytosis. The process of
pinocytosis is shown in Fig. 4.5.2.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 8
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Receptor-mediated endocytosis
A form of pinocytosis called
receptor-mediated endocytosis is quite
specific because it uses a receptor protein to
recognize compatible molecules which they
bring into the cell. Molecules such as vitamins,
peptide hormones, or lipoproteins can bind to
specific receptors, found in special locations
in the plasma membrane. This location is
called coated pits because there is a layer of
protein on the cytoplasmic side of the pit.
Once formed, the vesicle is uncoated and may
fuse with a lysosome. When empty, the used
vesicle fuses with the plasma membrane and
the receptors return to their former location.
Receptor-mediated endocytosis is shown
in Fig. 4.5.3.
This type of endocytosis is selective and
much more efficient than ordinary pinocytosis. It is involved in uptake and also in the
transfer and exchange of substances between cells. For instance, an exchange happens
when substances move from maternal blood into fetal blood at the placenta.
Cholesterol is transported in the blood by complex lipids and proteins called low-density
lipoprotein (LDL). Ordinarily, body cells take up LDL when LDL receptors gather in a coated
pit. But in some individuals, the LDL receptor is unable to properly bind to the coated pit
which makes the cell unable to take up cholesterol. Instead, cholesterol accumulates in the
walls of arterial blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure, blocked arteries and heart
attacks.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 9
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Andy has not been feeling well for the past few
days. Her breathing has been heavy and she has
been experiencing dizziness. Being overweight, she
also finds herself easy to get tired. Upon consulting
a doctor, she found out that she has familial
hypercholesterolemia which is a genetic disorder.
Which type of endocytosis is related to her case?
Remember
How does exocytosis differ from endocytosis?
Exocytosis is a process where molecules EXit the membrane.
Endocytosis is a process wherein molecules are ENgulfed by the
cell.
Key Points
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 10
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
● The process of exocytosis forms an intracellular vesicle which fuses with the
plasma membrane as secretion occurs.
● Exocytosis can be of two forms namely constitutive and regulated exocytosis.
○ Constitutive exocytosis functions in transporting proteins like receptors that
function in the plasma membrane.
○ Regulated exocytosis is triggered when a cell receives a signal from outside.
● In the process of endocytosis, cells take in substances by forming vesicles that bud
inward around the material. This type of transport can be of three forms namely:
phagocytosis, pinocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis.
○ In the process of phagocytosis, the cell engulfs the particle by wrapping
around extensions called pseudopodia then packs it within a
membrane-enclosed sac called vacuoles.
○ The process of pinocytosis occurs when vesicles form around a liquid or
around very small particles.
○ A form of pinocytosis known as receptor-mediated endocytosis is quite
specific because it uses a receptor protein to recognize compatible
molecules which they bring into the cell.
Types of bulk or vesicular transport
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 11
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
A. Identify the terms that best suit each of the following descriptions
below.
1. It is a process in which an intracellular vesicle fuses with the plasma membrane as
secretion occurs.
2. It is a process that is important in transporting proteins like receptors that function
in the plasma membrane.
3. This process can happen when a cell receives a signal from outside.
4. In this process, the cells take in substances by forming vesicles that bud inward
around the material.
5. It is an endocytic pathway in which the material such as food particles or another
cell was taken in through engulfing.
6. It is an endocytic process that occurs when vesicles form around a liquid or around
very small particles.
7. It is an endocytic process which is quite specific because it uses a receptor protein
to recognize compatible molecules which they bring into the cell.
8. This is where the molecules are placed ready for transport.
9. This is the material being transported in different pathways into and out of the cell.
10. It is a special location in the plasma membrane where there is a layer of protein on
the cytoplasmic side of the pit.
1. How are the molecules transported outside the cell through exocytosis?
2. How do molecules get into the cell through endocytosis?
3. What is the function of coated pits? Explain.
4. How do amoeboid digest its content through phagocytosis?
5. What is the purpose of receptor proteins in the cell surface?
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 12
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Diagram Question
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 13
Unit 4: Cellular Transport Mechanisms
Challenge Yourself
Bibliography
Hoefnagels, Marielle. Biology: The Essentials. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Education, 2016.
Mader, Sylvia S., and Michael Windelspecht. Biology. 11th ed. McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.
Reece, Jane B, Martha R. Taylor, Eric J. Simon, Jean L. Dickey, and Kelly Hogan. Biology
Concepts and Connections. 8th ed. Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd., 2016.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 14
Simon, Eric J., and Jane B. Reece. Campbell Essential Biology. 5th ed. Pearson Education Inc.,
2013.
Starr, Cecie, Christine A. Evers, and Lisa Starr. Biology Today and Tomorrow. 4th ed. Cengage
Learning Asia Pte Ltd, 2014.
4.5. Exocytosis and Endocytosis 15