Cell (Plasma)

Membrane & Cell

Transport
Cell Boundaries
All cells are surrounded by a thin, flexible barrier
known as the cell membrane.
Plant cells also produce a strong supporting layer
around the membrane known as a cell wall.

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

The Cell Membrane
Homeostasis & Cellular
Transport
Function of the Cell Membrane:
•Cell membrane separates the components of a
cell from its environment—surrounds the cell

•“Gatekeeper” of the cell—regulates the flow of

materials into and out of cell—selectively
permeable

•Cell membrane helps cells maintain homeostasis

—stable internal balance
The Cell Membrane &
Homeostasis
Homeostasis: • The cell membrane
maintains homeostasis
•Balanced internal
through balancing the
condition of cells pH, temperature,
•Also called equilibrium glucose (sugar intake),
•Maintained by plasma water balance
membrane controlling • It does this through
active and passive
what enters & leaves the
transport
cell
 Cell Membrane

• It’s a double layer (bilayer) of Fats/ Lipids

• A single phospholipid has hydrophilic (water loving)
phosphate heads AND hydrophobic (water hating) fatty
acid tails
• The cell membrane both repels and attracts water
through the membrane at the same time
The cell membrane in detail
HydroPHILIC head

hydroPHOBIC tails
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
PROCESSES
Types of Cell
Transport
Passive and Active
 Types of Transport

Low
High concentration
concentration

Low High
concentration concentration
Passive Transport

• Requires NO
energy
• Molecules move
from area of
HIGH to LOW
concentration
DIFFUSION

Diffusion is a PASSIVE
process which means
no energy is used to
make the molecules
move, they have a
natural KINETIC
ENERGY
Diffusion Through a Membrane

• Solute moves from a region of higher solute

concentration to a region of lower solute
concentration
Diffusion of Liquids
 Simple Diffusion
Example: Oxygen or water
diffusing into a cell and
carbon dioxide diffusing out.
Facilitated diffusion-

Some compounds are unable to

diffuse through the membrane.
They will be allowed to cross if the
membrane has proteins that can bind
these compounds and enable to cross
toward the area of lower solute
concentration
 Cell membrane channels
• Need to make “doors” through
membrane
• protein channels allow substances
in & out
inside cell

outside cell
 Facilitated Diffusion
• Doesn’t require energy
• Uses transport proteins
to move high to low
solute concentration

Examples: Glucose or
amino acids moving
from blood into a cell.
Facilitated Diffusion
Molecules will randomly move through the pores in
Channel Proteins.
Facilitated Diffusion
• Some carrier
proteins do not
extend through the
membrane.
• They bond and drag
molecules through
the lipid bilayer and
release them on the
opposite side.
where is facilitated transport important
• Osmosis is the movement of water through a selectively
permeable membrane like the cell membrane

Water moves across the cell membrane from an area of lower

solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.
• Water is highly permeable to water.

• The permeability of the membrane to water could be

harmful or fatal to the cells if the CELLS ARE SUSPENDED IN
THE FF. SOLUTIONS:

• A. HYPERTONIC SOLUTION

• B. HYPOTONIC SOLUTION
TYPES OF SOLUTIONS BASED ON
CONCENTRATION IN RELATION TO
OSMOTIC PRESSURE
• Isotonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is the same as the
solute concentration inside the cell.
• Hypotonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is lower than the
solute concentration inside a cell
• Hypertonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is higher than the
solute concentration inside a cell.
Cell in Isotonic Solution
• There is no net
movement of
water

• The cell neither

gains nor lose
The amount of solute are the water
same inside and outside the
cell.
Cell in Hypotonic Solution

The amount of solute is lower

outside the cell than inside ,
therefore water will flow from the
outside to the inside of the cell.
 Cell in Hypertonic Solution

The amount of solute is

greater outside the cell,
therefore water will flow
from the inside to the
outside of the cell.
Cells in Solutions

• Isotonic solution hypotonic solution hypertonic solution

• No net movement
• of water. EQUAL CYTOLYSIS PLASMOLYSIS
• amounts leaving and
• entering
Cells in Solutions
• Cytolysis cytolysis
in elodea.
• Cells swell and
burst
• Plasmolysis
• Cells shrink
Normal
elodea
Plasmolysis in
plant cell elodea.
where is osmosis important
Summary: Types of
Transport
• Passive Transport
• Molecules move from area of
high concentration to area of
low concentration
• Movement is down the
concentration gradient
• No energy needed
• Small molecules such as H2O,
O2 and CO2
• Active Transport
• Molecules move from
area of low
concentration to area of
high concentration
• Movement is up the
concentration gradient
• Energy is required (ATP)
• Large molecules, ions
 Active Transport
• Requires energy or
ATP
• Moves materials from
LOW to HIGH
concentration
Active Transport
• Example:
Pumping Na+ (sodium
ions) out and K+
(potassium ions) in—
against concentration
gradients.
• Called the Sodium-
Potassium Pump.
Sodium-Potassium Pump

• 3 Na+ pumped in for every 2 K+ pumped out; creates a

membrane potential.
• where is active transport important