Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
4 Membrane transport
Endocytosis
- fluidity of membranes allows materials to be
taken into cells by endocytosis or released by
exocytosis
• phagocytosis - solid(eating)
• pinocytosis - liquid(drinking)
- contains water, solutes and larger molecules that can't pass through the bilayer
- eg. placenta: proteins from mother's blood(incl. antibodies) absorbed into the fetus; taking in
large undigested food particles(unicellular, Amoeba+Paramecium); white blood cells intake
pathogens(virus, bacteria) then kill them
Exocytosis
- vesicles carries substance and binds w/ the
plasma membrane
2020 Jin 1
1.4 Membrane transport
gland cells(polypeptides in enzyme synthesized by rER => processed in Golgi => carried to
membrane in vesicles)
- expel waste
• eg. removal of excess water from cells of unicellular organisms(H2O into vesicle(contractile
vacuole) => plasma membrane)
• this method also used to increase size of organelles in the cytoplasm such as lysosomes and
mitochondria
Simple diffusion
- particles, due to random movement, spread out in a volume
- high -> low concentration
- particles passing b/t phospholipid bilayer
• only happen if bilayer is permeable to the particles
2020 Jin 2
1.4 Membrane transport
• non-polar(eg. O2) + small particles diffuse through easily
• larger + polar molecules are unlikely to cross b/c centre of bilayer is hydrophobic
- small polar particles(eg. urea, ethanol) pass through more easily than large ones
Facilitated diffusion
- high -> low concentration
- large/polar particles and other that are unable to diffuse through the bilayer directly diffuse
through channel proteins
- channel proteins:
• holes w/ a very narrow diameter; walls consist of proteins
- ensure only one type of particle passes through
• cells control which type of channel are synthesized & placed in the plasma membrane -
control which substances diffuse in/out
Osmosis
- the net movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane
- caused by the difference in concentration of solute, not solvent
- substances dissolve by forming intermolecular bonds w/ water, which restrict water movement
- areas w/ high concentration will see reduced movability of water
2020 Jin 3
1.4 Membrane transport
Active transport
- occurs when a particle moves from low -> high concentration
- active process - requires E(ATP)
- pump proteins
• substance enters the pump and goes to the central chamber, which elicits a conformational
change
• ATP then joins and causes the substance to be released on the other side
- involves rapid movements of sodium(Na) then potassium(K) ions across the axon
membrane - occur by facilitated diffusion through channels, occur b/c of concentration
gradients b/t inside/outside of axon
2020 Jin 4
1.4 Membrane transport
5. binding of potassium causes release of the phosphate group, causes the pump to change
shape again - only open to the inside
6. interior of the pump opens to the inside of the axon, two potassium ions are released;
sodium ions can then enter and bind to the pump again
- In order to pass through a potassium voltage gated channel, these bonds need to be broken
and bonds need to be made w/ amino acids inside the channel
- The voltage-gated channel opens during repolarization, when there are more +tive charges
inside the axon than outside
- Voltage gated channels quickly close w/ the help of a globular protein attached to a flexible
amino acid chain, which plugs the opening of the channel
2020 Jin 5
1.4 Membrane transport
Estimation of osmolarity
Estimation of osmolarity in tissues by bathing samples in hypotonic and hypertonic solutions
- Samples of a tissue bathed in hypertonic + hypotonic solutions
- Measure to find out whether water enters/leaves the tissue
- Possible to deduce what concentration of solution would be isotonic
- Find out the osmolarity of the tissue
Experimental design
Accurate quantitative measurements in osmosis experiments are essential.
2020 Jin 6