6

Cell Membranes
6 Cell Membranes

• 6.1 What Is the Structure of a Biological Membrane?

• 6.2 How Is the Plasma Membrane Involved in Cell
Adhesion and Recognition?
• 6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane
Transport?
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Membranes have selective permeability—

some substances can pass through, but
not others.

Passive transport—no outside energy

required (diffusion).

Active transport—energy required.

6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Passive transport involves two types of diffusion:

simple and facilitated.
1. Simple diffusion occurs through the
phospholipid bilayer.
2. Facilitated diffusion occurs through the use of
membrane proteins.
There are two kinds of proteins involved in
facilitated diffusion: channel and carrier proteins.
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

1. Diffusion: The process of random

movement toward equilibrium.

Diffusion is the net movement from regions

of greater concentration to regions of
lesser concentration.

Equilibrium—particles continue to move, but

there is no net change in distribution.
Figure 6.9 Diffusion Leads to Uniform Distribution of Solutes
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Simple diffusion:

Small molecules pass through the lipid

bilayer.

Water and lipid-soluble molecules can

diffuse across the membrane.

Electrically charged and polar molecules

can not pass through easily.
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Osmosis: The diffusion of water across a

permeable membrane.
 Passive

http://www.hartnell.edu/tutorials/biology/images/osmosis1d.jpg
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

If two solutions are separated by a

membrane that allows water, but not
solutes to pass through:

Water will diffuse from the region of

higher water concentration (lower solute
concentration) to the region of lower
water concentration (higher solute
concentration).
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Isotonic solution: Equal solute

concentration (and equal water
concentration).

Hypertonic solution: Higher solute

concentration.

Hypotonic solution: Lower solute

concentration.
Figure 6.10 Osmosis Can Modify the Shapes of Cells (Part 1)
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Water will diffuse (net movement) from a

hypotonic solution across a membrane
to a hypertonic solution.

Animal cells may burst when placed in a

hypotonic solution.

Plant cells with rigid cell walls build up

internal pressure that keeps more water
from entering—turgor pressure.
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Facilitated diffusion of polar molecules

(passive):
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Facilitated diffusion of polar molecules

(passive):

• Channel proteins (integral membrane

proteins) have a central pore.

• Carrier proteins—membrane proteins

that bind some substances and speed
their diffusion through the bilayer.
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Ion channels: Specific channel proteins with

hydrophilic pores; allow the transport of ions
such as K+ and Na+.

Most are gated—can be closed or open to

ion passage.
6.3 What Are the Passive Processes of Membrane Transport?

Carrier proteins transport polar molecules such as

glucose across membranes in both directions.

Glucose binds to the protein, which causes it to

change shape and release glucose on the other
side.

Glucose is broken down almost as soon as it enters

the cell, therefore there is a strong concentration
gradient favoring glucose entry into the cell
Figure 6.14 A Carrier Protein Facilitates Diffusion (Part 1)
Figure 6.14 A Carrier Protein Facilitates Diffusion (Part 2)
6.4 What Are the Active Processes of Membrane Transport?

Active transport: Moves substances

against a concentration and/or electrical
gradient—requires energy.

The energy source is often adenosine

triphosphate (ATP).
Recap

• What properties of a substance determine whether and

how fast it will diffuse across a membrane?
Diameter of a molecule, temperature of the solution,
concentration gradient, surface area and diffusion media.
• What is osmosis?
• What are the terms:
– Hypertonic
– Hypotonic
– Isotonic
• How does a channel protein facilitate diffusion?