GENERAL BIOLOGY 1 St. Scholastica's Academy OCT.

12, 2023

Transport of Molecules Across

Cell Membranes
Ms. Daisy Marie C. Bonghanoy
 Learning Objectives
• Define membrane transport
• Identify structures involved and organelles involved
Transport Mechanisms

during membrane transport

• Describe the different transport mechanisms
 Membrane
Transport
A collection of mechanisms that
regulate the passage of solutes
such as ions and small
molecules through biological
membranes.
(Lodish, et. al. 2005)
Characteristics of Molecules
• Macromolecules
SIZE
• Micromolecules

CHARGE • Polar
• Non-Polar

SOLUBILIT
Y • Lipid-soluble molecules or not
Transport Process
2 GENERAL TRANSPORT METHODS

PASSIVE TRANSPORT NO ENERGY

ACTIVE TRANSPORT USE ENERGY

PASSIVE
TRANSPORT
• Movement of substances into or out of the
cell down a concentration gradient which
requires no energy to be used.

TYPES: DIFFUSION OSMOSIS

PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Diffusion
• movement of particles across the membrane from a region of
higher concentration to lower concentration
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Diffusion: Simple Diffusion
• a process where small and lipid-
soluble molecules pass through the
semi-permeable membrane
• oxygen, carbon dioxide, water
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Diffusion: Facilitated Diffusion

• assisted diffusion
• (channel protein, carrier protein)
• sugars and amino acids
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Osmosis
• process of transporting water across membranes
• from areas of higher water concentration ( solutes) to areas of
lower water concentration ( solutes)
• solute concentration - determine direction
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Osmosis: Hypertonic Solution
• lower water concentration outside the
cell than on the inside
• water moves out of the cell
• cells undergo crenation or the cell
shrinks/shrivels
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Osmosis: Hypotonic Solution
• more water concentration outside the
cell than on the inside
• water moves into of the cell
• causes the cell to swell/burst
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
Osmosis: Isotonic Solution
• Solutions that contain the same
concentration of water and solutes as
the cell cytoplasm
• no net movement of water into and out
of the cell
• cell shape remains unchanged
ACTIVE Sodium-Potassium Pump

TRANSPORT • 3 Sodium ions (out)

• moves substances against • 2 Potassium ions (in)
concentration gradient (low
to high)
• requires energy
• movement against
concentration gradient
• Protein carriers (assist)
• Ions, sugars, amino acids
BULK OR VESICULAR
TRANSPORT
• process by which large substances (or bulk
amounts of smaller substances) enter the
cell without crossing the membrane.

TYPES:

ENDOCYTOSIS EXOCYTOSIS
BULK TRANSPORT
Endocytosis
• process by which large molecules enter the cell
• "into the cell''
• do NOT involve membrane carriers
• cells take in substances from outside of the cell by engulfing them in a
vesicle.
• 3 forms:
⚬ Phagocytosis "cell eating''
⚬ Pinocytosis "cell drinking''
⚬ Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis (selective)
Phagocytosis

• "cell eating''
• cells take in large particles or
solids through infolding of the
cell membrane to form endocytic
vesicles.
Pinocytosis

• "cell drinking''
• cells take in fluids by invagination
of the cell membrane.
Receptor-Mediated
Endocytosis
• occurs when receptor proteins on
the cell surface are used to capture
a specific target molecule.
• Metabolites, hormones, other
proteins
BULK TRANSPORT
Exocytosis
• "out of the cell''
• Is the process of moving materials from
within a cell to the exterior of the cell.
• Ex: proteins, waste materials and secretion
of hormones, insulin-secreting cells
 QUIZ
1. Outline the difference between simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion.
2. Suggest why the term “fluid mosaic” is used to describe membrane
3. Suggest why the fatty acid “tails” of the phospholipid molecules always align
themselves in the middle of the membrane.
4. Outline the difference between integral and peripheral proteins
5. List the six ways that substances move from one side of a membrane to the other.
6. List 5 proteins found in the cell membrane and include their function.