TRANSPORT MECHANISMS

Cells need to…

Cell need to get nutrients
Cells need to get energy
Cells need to remove waste products

In order for the cell to stay alive..

It must meet the characteristics of life which
include taking nutrients in and eliminating wastes and other by products of metabolism.

Several mechanisms allow cells to carry out these processes.

All of the cell’s activities are in one way or another tied to the membrane that separates
its interior from the environment.

PLASMA MEMBRANE or CELL MEMBRANE

PLASMA MEMBRANE AS AN ORGANELLE

•The plasma membrane is an organelle because it is designed for and fulfills a specific,
specialized function.

THE JOB OF THE CELL MEMBRANE

• to protect the cell and give it a shape.
• It holds all of the parts in a neat package and prevents damage to the delicate internal
structures
and genetic material.

AS REGULATOR/CONTROLLER
• The cell membrane is also responsible for controlling the passage of materials in
and out of the cell.
• It is considered "a semipermeable, fluid membrane". The cell membrane controls
what is allowed into the cell and permits certain wastes and products to leave the cell.

ABNORMAL GROWTH
• Their growth are abnormal such that one is big in size and the other one is too small.
Both men have defective membranes. Insufficient amount of growth hormones pass
through a pygmy’s body while an excessive amount of growth hormones is released in a
giant.

DIFFUSION
• Refers to the natural tendency for molecules to move constantly.
• Their movement is random and is due to the energy found in the individual molecules.
• Net diffusion occurs when the materials on one side of the membrane have a different
concentration than the materials on the other side.
Common Examples of Diffusion
• You can smell perfume because it diffuses into the air and makes its way into your
nose.
• If you water wilted plants, the water will diffuse into the plants and they will get firmer.
• When flowers are soaked into water of different colors

IDENTIFY
Diffusion 1. refers to the movement of substances
from an area of high to low concentration.
Osmosis 2. refers to the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane.
3. It is utilizes protein transmembrane channels that are specific to certain molecule
Active Transport 4. It refers to the movement of
molecules requiring the use of energy.
Passive Transport 5. It refers to the movement of molecules without the expenditure of
energy.
Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP 6. It is the kind of energy used by the cell in
transporting important substances.
Osmotic Pressure Gradient 7. What kind of transport mechanism happens in salted
egg?

OSMOSIS
• is a special type of diffusion specially associated with the movement of water
molecules.
• movement of a solvent (such as water) through a semipermeable membrane (as of a
living cell) into a solution of higher solute concentration

FACILITATED DIFFUSION
• Refers to the transport of substances across a biological membrane from an area of
higher concentration to an area of lower concentration by means of a carrier molecule.

PROTEIN CHANNEL VS. CARRIER PROTEIN

• Carrier proteins are glycoproteins (proteins that have carbohydrates)

• Channel proteins are lipoproteins (proteins that have combine with transport fats and
other lipids)

TRANSPORT MECHANISM

PASSIVE TRANSPORT
• Heat energy of the cellular environment provides all of the energy, hence, this is not
energy-costly to the cell. Energy is not required
ACTIVE TRANSPORT
• Requires the cell to do work, requiring the cell to expend its energy reserves.

HOW DO CELLS BEHAVE IN DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS?

ISOTONIC SOLUTION
• No Movement
• Water goes in both directions
• Solutions of equal solution concentration.
• This only occurs when solute concentration are the same on both sides of the
membrane.

HYPOTONIC SOLUTION
• Out - In
• Water moves into the cell
• Solution with a LOWER concentration of solutes

HYPERTONIC SOLUTION
• In - Out
• Water moves into the cell
• Solution with a HIGHER concentration of solutes

PLASMOLYSIS
• contraction of the protoplast of a plant cell as a result of loss of water from the
cell.
• “CELL SHRINKING”

CYTOLYSIS
• the dissolution or disruption of cells, especially by an external agent.
• “CELL BURSTING”

TURGIDITY
• The state of being turgid or swollen, especially due to high fluid content.
• Turgidity is essential in plant cells to make them keep standing upright. Plant cells that
lose much water have less turgor pressure, and tend to become flaccid. Further water
loss eventually results in the wilting of the plant.

BULK TRANSPORT
• Refers to the process of removing and taking in larger molecules and particles in the
cell.

2 TYPES OF BULK TRANSPORT

• Endocytosis - the taking in of matter by a living cell by invagination of its
membrane to form a vacuole.
IMPORTANCE OF ENDOCYTOSIS

Endocytosis is important for plasma membrane homeostasis, modulation of signal

transduction, drug delivery, pathogen entry, and nutrient uptake.

• Exocytosis - a process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the
exterior through fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.

SODIUM POTASSIUM PUMP PROCESS

• The process of moving sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrane is an
active transport process involving the hydrolysis of ATP to provide the necessary
energy.

PHAGOCYTOSIS
• In phagocytosis, or "cell eating," the cell engulfs debris, bacteria, or other sizable
objects.

• Process by which certain living cells called phagocytes ingest or engulf other cells or
particles.

PINOCYTOSIS
• In pinocytosis, or "cell drinking," the cell engulfs extracellular fluid, including molecules
such as sugars and proteins.

• A process by which liquid droplets are ingested by living cells.

RECEPTOR MEDIATED ENDOCYTOSIS

• Receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME), also called clathrin-mediated endocytosis,

LIGAND
• A molecule that binds to another (usually larger) molecule.

DISCOVERY OF RME

Receptor-mediated endocytosis was discovered by Michael Brown and Joseph

Goldstein, who were investigating the internalization of cholesterol by cells from the
bloodstream.

Exocytosis
•a process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the exterior through
fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.

IMPORTANCE OF EXOCYTOSIS
•Exocytosis is a vital process that allows cells to secrete waste substances,
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

- is the processes of using sunlight to convert chemical compounds (specifically carbon

dioxide and water) into food.

ATP & ADP CYCLE

Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP)
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

ATP
• energy used by all cell
• as the energy currency of the cells.

THE TASKS OF ATP

1. Chemical work : ATP is used for building macromolecules.
2.Transport Work :ATP is used for transporting ions membranes.
3. Mechanical work : ATP is used for mechanical processes such as muscle contraction,
cilia movement.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• is simply the food making process in plants.

ACRONYMS
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) is a chemical compound consisting of one carbon atom and two
oxygen atoms.
Light energy (photons)
Water (H2O)
Oxygen (O2)
Organic Macromolecules (glucose).
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADPH). It means to donate
electrons and hydrogens to reactions catalyzed by some enzyme.

Where does photosynthesis take place?

• takes place in chloroplasts

Plants
Autotrophs: self-producers.
Location:
1. Leaves
a. stoma
b. mesophyll cells

Stomata
 • Pores in a plant’s cuticle through which water and gases are exchanged between
the plant and the atmosphere
• to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Mesophyll cells

• in a leaf are the principal center for photosynthesis.

Where are the pigments of photosynthesis located?

• Chloroplast

Thylakoid
• the site of photochemical or light dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

Why are plants green?

• Chlorophyll gives plants their green color because it does not absorb the green
wavelengths of white light.

Chlorophyll Molecules

• Located in the thylakoid membranes.

• Chlorophyll have Mg+ in the center.

During the fall, what causes the leaves to change colors?

• because the amounts of pigments change as the leaves prepare to fall from the
trees.

Fall Colors
• In addition to the chlorophyll pigments, there are other pigments present.
• Carotenoids are pigments that are either red or yellow.

CHLOROPHYLL
Role : To trap energy of sunlight (photons) CHLOROPHYLL – absorbs the light energy
from the sun and uses it to power the chemical reactions of PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

Redox Reaction
The transfer of one or more electrons from one reactant to another.

Two types:
1. Oxidation - the loss of electrons from a substance or the gain of oxygen.

2. Reduction - The gain of electrons to a substance or the loss of oxygen.

Breakdown of Photosynthesis

Two main parts (reactions)

 1. Light Reaction or Light Dependent Reaction
• Produces energy from solar power (photons) in the form of ATP and NADPH.

1. 2. Calvin Cycle or Light Independent Reaction or Carbon Fixation or C3

Fixation.
• Uses energy (ATP and NADPH) from light reaction to make sugar (glucose).

PHOTOSYSTEM
• the absorption of light and the transfer of energy and electrons.

CELL RESPIRATION

- occurs in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, with most reactions taking place in
the cytoplasm of prokaryotes and in the mitochondria of eukaryotes.

TYPES OF CELLULAR RESPIRATION

1. ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION – Does not involve Oxygen (also known as

FERMENTATION)
2. AEROBIC RESPIRATION – involves the use of OXYGEN

2 Types of Fermentation

• Lactic Acid Fermentation - bacteria, plants and most animals.

• sometimes happens in your muscles, cramps, exercise.

• Alcoholic Fermentation - bacteria and fungi (yeast)

• ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide are the end products.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which means “sugar-eating fungus.” This is bread

yeast, the yeast we humans know and love most dearly for the food and drinks it helps
us make.

STAGES OF CELLULAR RESPIRATION

There are three main stages of cellular respiration:
1. glycolysis,
2. the citric acid cycle (Krebs Cycle) and
3. electron transport/oxidative phosphorylation.

(ETC) Electron transport

GLYCOLYSIS - The process takes place in the CYTOPLASM of the cell and does not
require OXYGEN.

PRODUCT OF GLYCOLYSIS
 • 2 ATP molecules and 2 NADH

Sir Hans Adolf Krebs

German-born British biologist, physician and biochemist

KREBS CYCLE
• ALSO KNOWN AS CITRIC ACID CYCLE
• CITRIC ACID - FORMED IN THE CYCLE (2 TURNS CYCLE)
• OCCURS IN THE INNER MATRIX OF MITOCHONDRIA

Consists of the following process:

• Dehydration (removal of H2O)
• Hydration ( addition of H2O)

ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN (ETC)

• BREAKDOWN OF GLUCOSE IS COMPLETE
• 4 NEW ATP MOLECULES ARE MADE
• CRESTAE OF MITOCHONDRIA TAKES PLACE

• chain shuttles electrons down a series of redox reactions that release energy
used to make ATP. Electron transport involves a series of electron carriers.

CYTOCHROMES

• Are CLASS of PROTEINS that function as electron transporter

SIGNIFICANCE OF ETC

• The ETC is directly aerobic because it uses oxygen and converts it into water.