GENERAL BIOLOGY 1 REVIEWER

Cell membrane and transport

All cells about membrane
1. HYDROPHILIC – water-loving molecule
2. PASSIVE TRANSPORT – cell transport that does not require energy.
3. ACTIVE TRANSPORT – cell transport that requires energy.
4. OSMOSIS – diffusion of water
 All cells have a cell membrane
- They depend on the raw material found in the external environment.
 Functions:
 Controls what enters and exits the cell to maintain an internal balance called homeostasis.
The unimportant materials will exit via the cell membrane. Cell membranes communicate
with others to combat or eliminate invaders.
 Provides protection and supports the cell.

Structure of cell membrane

1. Cell Membrane
 It is a double layer of phospholipids bilayer.
 Amphipathic or amphilic – a polar or non-polar end
 Heads hydrophilic.
 Water cannot penetrate the cell.
 It is elastic (7.5-10nm).
 It contains almost proteins called membrane proteins.
 Integral and Peripheral protein–transport membrane proteins.
 Integral protein – located in a double layer
 Peripheral protein – located in the cell membrane's outer surface or inner surface.
 Selectively permeable. Not all the material can penetrate the cell.
 Lipid Bilayer
 The phosphate head is polar (water-loving)
 Fatty acid tails are non-polar (water-fearing)
 Proteins embedded in the membrane
2. Fluid Mosaic Model
 It describes constantly moving
 Cholesterol is found alongside phospholipids in the core of the membrane.
 It will stick in the same polarity.
 Plants have no cholesterol but they have sterols.
 Cholesterol is non-polar.
 Carbohydrate groups are present only on the outer surface of the plasma membrane and are
attached to proteins forming glycoproteins, or lipids, forming glycolipids.
 Antigens – unrecognized substance
 Glycoproteins – receptors for chemical signals. Once glycoproteins receive a signal
they will change.
 Glycolipids – cell marks
 Protein – defuse freely inside the cell
 Peripheral Proteins - are found on the outside and inside surfaces of membranes, attached
either to integral proteins or to phospholipids.
  Integral Proteins - are embedded in the phospholipid bilayer; may or may not extend
through both layers
 Channel Proteins - contain tunnels or openings that serve as passageways of molecules.
 Carrier Proteins - undergo temporary binding to the molecule, resulting in a
conformational change that moves the molecule through the cell membrane.

Characteristics
1. Size or molecular size
2. Charge and polarity
3. Solubility – water
o Macromolecules –
o Micro molecules -
o Small Molecule easily enters the cell membrane.
o Large molecules have difficulty entering the cell membrane.
o Charge molecule – ions electrical charge. Dissolved in water
o Uncharged molecules – they dissolved in unipolar materials such as lipids.

Different ways of molecules movement across the cell membrane

Concentration – the amount of particles in two regions.

Diffusion
 Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower
concentration.
 Higher to Lower Concentration - Collision Theory
 Concentration Gradient: different concentrations of an object in space
o A color gradient
o A light gradient
o A molecular gradient
 Movement of molecules DOWN a concentration gradient requires no energy
 o Molecules move from high to low concentration
 Movement of molecules UP a concentration gradient requires energy
o Moving molecules from low to high concentration
 The diffusion of a solute within the solvent is affected by several factors:
1. Temperature – the higher the temperature the higher the rate of diffusion.
2. Pressure – the diffusion will become faster.
3. Density – the higher the density the lower the diffusion is.
4. Concentration Gradient – the higher the concentration gradient is the faster the diffusion.
5. Solute solubility – the rate of diffusion will become faster.

Osmosis: Diffusion of water

 The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane is called osmosis.
 Regulating the water flow through the plasma membrane is an important factor in maintaining
homeostasis within a cell.
 Isotonic solution: (concentrations) - the concentration of dissolved substances in the solution is the
same as the concentration of dissolved substances inside the cell.
 Hypotonic solution: dilute solution thus low solute concentration. In a hypotonic solution, water
enters a cell by osmosis, causing the cell to swell.
 Hypertonic solution: concentrated solution, thus a high solute concentration. In a hypertonic
solution, water leaves a cell by osmosis, causing the cell to shrink.

Passive transport
 When a cell uses no energy to move particles
across a membrane passive transport occurs.
 Particles go DOWN their concentration
gradient.
 Diffusion & osmosis are passive transport.
 Passive transport of materials across the
membrane using transport proteins is called
facilitated diffusion.
Active transport
 Movement of materials through a
membrane against a concentration gradient
and requires energy from the cell.
 Requires the cell to use energy (ATP) 2
kinds:
o Membrane pumps – transport ions
and other solutes across membranes
up a concentration gradient.
 o Vesicle transports - move materials, such as proteins and other molecules, from one part of
a cell to another
1. Cell Membrane Pumps
 Involve carrier proteins called cell membrane pumps to move materials against the
concentration (UP concentration gradient)
 Similar to the steps of facilitated transport.
 Results in electrical impulses across nerve cells
 Ex. Sodium-Potassium Pump
2. Vesicular Transport
 Some substances (ex. Food) are too BIG to pass through membrane.
 OR large quantities need to pass through the cell.
 These situations use vesicle transport
 Two kinds
 Endocytosis
 Exocytosis
A. Endocytosis
 The process by which cells absorb material (molecules such as proteins) from
outside the cell by engulfing it with their cell membrane.
 OR large quantities need to pass through the cell.
 Three Types
 Pinocytosis
 Receptor Mediated
 Phagocytosis

1) PINOCYTOSIS
 Cell drinking nonselective continuous process seen in all cells.
 Transport of solutes or liquids.
2) PHAGOCYTOSIS
 Movement of solids into the cell.
 Pinocytosis – the cell takes in the fluids along with dissolved small molecules.
 Movement of large particles or whole cells.
*Possible feeding method, or a method of defense to destroy bacteria/viruses transport of
solutes or liquids.

3) RECEPTOR MEDIATOR
 Receptor-mediated endocytosis – highly selective process to import imp. specific large
molecules. Requires energy & Ca++.
B. Exocytosis
 A cellular process where cells eject waste products or chemical transmitters (such as
hormones) from the interior of the cell.
 Exocytosis is similar in function to Endocytosis but works in the opposite direction.