MEMBRANE TRANSPORT

OJO AO
PROGRAMME - PHYSIOLOGY
COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES
BOWEN UNIVERSITY
 Transport” = Movement of substances in and out of the cell
Method
Diffusion (No energy needed)
Osmosis (No energy needed)
Active Transport (Energy needed)
Permeability: The ability of matter
to move across a boundary.
Cell Membranes are Semi-
Permeable.
“Semi-Permeable”: The ability of
only certain types of matter to move
across a boundary.
.
Concentration: The amount of
matter in a given amount of space
(area).
High Concentration = More matter
in a given amount of space.
Low Concentration = Less matter in
a given amount of space.
“Concentration Gradient”: A
difference in concentrations.
Equilibrium: State of balance.
Matter moves in and out of cells to
reach equilibrium.
• Diffusion is the movement of small particles across a selectively permeable
membrane like the cell membrane from an area of higher concentration, to
an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.
These particles move from an area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration.
outside of cell

inside of cell
 Diffussion
• Due to: random motion and collision of Factors that affects Diffusion
molecules (NOT a pulling or pushing
force) • Distance
• Movement “down” a concentration • Molecule size
gradient (from area of high concentration • Temperature
to area of low concentration)
• Simple diffusion – nonpolar and lipid- • Gradient
soluble substances • Electrical force
• Diffuse directly through the lipid • Number of Carriers
bilayer
• Facilitated diffusion – larger, polar
molecules
• Transported substances bind to carrier
proteins or pass through protein
channels (e.g. glucose, amino acids,
and ions)
Simple Diffusion Carrier-Mediated
Channel-Mediated Facilitated Diffusion
• Materials which Facilitated Diffusion • Carrier-mediated
diffuse directly • Materials which transport of ions
through cell pass through and organic
membrane: transmembrane substrates into or
• lipid-soluble proteins out of the cell
compounds (channels): down their
(alcohols, fatty • water soluble concentration
acids, and compounds gradient. Still
steroids) passive
• ions
• dissolved gases • Can also be called
(oxygen and passive carrier-
carbon dioxide) mediated transport
Carrier-Mediated Facilitated Diffusion
Carrier proteins transport molecules too large to fit through channel
proteins (glucose, amino acids): molecule binds to receptor site on
carrier protein, protein changes shape, deliver the substance at the other
side of the membrane
 • Osmosis
_

• The movement of water particles,

• across a concentration gradient,
• from an area of higher water concentration, to an area of lower water
concentration
• Diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane like the cell
membrane,
• Water diffuses across a membrane from an area of high water concentration
to an area of low waterconcentration.
• Water molecules diffuse across membrane toward solution with more
solutes
• Volume increases on the side with more solutes
• Osmosis occurs when solutes cannot cross the membrane (no diffusion) so
the solvent, water, crosses instead
 Semi-
permeable
membrane
is permeable
to water, but
not to sugar
Effect of Membrane Permeability on Diffusion and Osmosis
TONICITY OF A SOLUTION
This is the osmolarlity/osmolarity of a solution compared to normal saline
Hypertonic Solutions: contain a high concentration of solute relative to
another solution (e.g. RBC). When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution,
the water diffuses out of the cell, causing the cell to shrink.

Hypotonic Solutions: contain a low concentration of solute relative to another

solution (e.g. RBC). When a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the water
diffuses into the cell, causing the cell to swell and possibly swell.

Isotonic Solutions: contain the same concentration of solute as another

solution (e.g. RBC). When a cell is placed in an isotonic solution, the water
diffuses into and out of the cell at the same rate. The fluid that surrounds the
body cells is isotonic.
Active Transport
Active transport is the movement of molecules from LOW to HIGH
concentration.
Energy is required as molecules must be pumped against the concentration
gradient.
Proteins that work as pumps are called protein pumps.
Active transport proteins:
move substrates against concentration gradient
Uses carrier proteins (just like carrier-mediated facilitated diffusion)
requires energy, such as ATP
Examples
ion pumps move ions against concentration gradient (Na+, K+, Ca+,
Mg2+)
exchange pump countertransports 2 ions at the same
Examples: Pumping Na+
(sodium ions) out and K+
(potassium ions) in—
against concentration
gradients.
Called the Sodium-
Potassium Pump.
• Primary active transport requires ATP at the same time that
substrate is moved
• Secondary active transport requires energy indirectly
• use of an exchange pump (such as the Na+-K+ pump) indirectly to
drive the transport of other solutes
• Primary Active transport (carrier mediated):
• sodium ions (Na+) out, potassium ions (K+) in
• 1 ATP moves 3 Na+ out, 2 potassium ions (K+) in
• Maintains concentrations of Na+ and K+
• Also an example of countertransport
K+ is released and Extracellular fluid
Binding of cytoplasmic
Na+ sites are ready to
Na+ to the pump protein
bind Na+ again; the
stimulates phosphorylation
cycle repeats.
Na+ by ATP.

Na+

Na+
Na+
Na+
Cytoplasm Na+
K+
ATP
P
K+
ADP
Cell

Phosphorylation
K+ K+ causes the
protein to
change its shape.
Na+ Na+

Na+ Na+
Concentration gradients
of K+ and Na+ Na+

K+

K+
K+

K+

Loss of phosphate The shape change

restores the original P expels Na+ to the
conformation of the outside, and
pump protein. Pi extracellular K+ binds.

K+ binding triggers
release of the
phosphate group.
 Secondary active transport
• Na+ concentration gradient drives glucose transport e.g
GIT, renal tubules
• ATP energy pumps Na+ back out
• Energy for the uphill transport of glucose in derived from
sodium concentration gradient built by sodium potassium
ATPase
• A carrier carries one sodium ion down contration gradient
and one glucose molecule against concentration gradient
• The ATP is used by sodium potassium ATPase not sodium-
glucose carrier
 BULK TRANSPORT
• This is the mechanism by which very large molecules (such
as food and wastes) get into and out of the cell. It required
energy
• Endocytosis and
• Exocytosis

Food is moved into the

cell by Endocytosis

Wastes are moved out

of the cell by
Exocytosis
Endocytosis
Large molecules move materials into the cell by one
of three forms of endocytosis.
• Pinocytosis
• Receptor-mediated endocytosis
• Phagocytosis
White Blood Cells surround and engulf bacteria by
endocytosis.
Active Transport-Pinocytosis

Most common form of endocytosis.

• Takes in dissolved molecules as a vesicle.
Active Transport-Pinocytosis
Cell forms an invagination
• Materials dissolve in water to be brought into cell
• Called “Cell Drinking”
Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis

Some integral proteins have receptors on their

surface to recognize & take in hormones,
cholesterol, etc.
Active Transport--Phagocytosis

Used to engulf large particles such as food, bacteria,

etc. into vesicles
Called “Cell Eating”
Active Transport--Exocytosis
Exocytosis
Type of active transport
Moving things OUT
Molecules are moved out of
the cell by vesicles that fuse the
with the plasma membrane.
eg. hormone secretion, release
of neurotransmitter