MEMBRANE TRANSPORT

Types of Transport Across the

Cell Membrane
In cellular biology, membrane transport
refers to the collection of mechanisms that
regulate the passage of solutes such as
ions and small molecules through
biological membranes, which are lipid
bilayers that contain proteins embedded in
them.
Cellular membranes possess two key
qualities:

 They are semi-permeable (only

certain materials may freely cross
– large and charged substances
are typically blocked)
 They are selective (membrane
proteins may regulate the
passage of material that cannot
freely cross)
1. Lipid bilayers are selectively permeable
•small,nonpolar

•small
uncharged, polar

•larger
Decreasing
uncharged, polar
permeability
molecules

•ions

Size – polarity - ions

The Permeability of the Lipid
Bilayer

Hydrophobic molecules
Are lipid soluble and can pass through the
membrane rapidly
Polar molecules
Do not cross membrane rapidly
Ions
Do not cross the membrane at all
Transport processes

Solutes – dissolved ions and small

organic molecules
i.e., Na+,K+, H+, Ca++, Cl,-
sugars, amino acids, nucleotides
Passive and Active Transport:

Passive Transport - does not require cell

energy
Examples: Diffusion, Facilitated diffusion and
Osmosis
Active Transport- Requires cell energy
(ATP)
Examples: Carrier mediated active transport,
Endocytosis and Exocytosis
Diffusion, Osmosis and
Concentration Gradient
 Diffusion – the movement of a substance from a
high concentration to a low concentration

 Osmosis – the movement of WATER from a high

concentration to a low concentration.

 Concentration Gradient – the difference in

concentration between a region of high
concentration and a region of lower concentration
PASSIVE TRANSPORT
SIMPLE DIFFUSION, OSMOSIS,
FACILITATED
Passive Transport

 A concentration gradient is the difference in

concentration of a substance across a space.
Molecules (or ions) will spread/diffuse from
where they are more concentrated to where they
are less concentrated until they are equally
distributed in that space. (When molecules move
in this way, they are said to move down their
concentration gradient.)
 Three common types of passive transport
include simple diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated
diffusion.
SIMPLE DIFFUSION
Diffusion
Diffusion is a
PASSIVE process
which means no
energy is used to
make the
molecules move,
they have a natural
KINETIC ENERGY
Passive Transport: Simple Diffusion
 Simple Diffusion
 Doesn’t require energy
 Moves high to low
concentration
 Example: Oxygen or
water diffusing into a cell
and carbon dioxide
diffusing out.
Diffusion of Lipids
Diffusion Through a Membrane

 Solute moves DOWN the concentration gradient.

(HIGH to LOW)
FACILITATED DIFFUSION
In facilitated diffusion,
substances move into or out of
cells down their concentration
gradient through protein
channels in the cell
membrane.
 Simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion are
similar in that both involve movement down the
concentration gradient. The difference is how
the substance gets through the cell membrane.
 In simple diffusion, the substance passes
between the phospholipids;

 in facilitated diffusion there are a specialized

membrane channels. Charged or polar
molecules that cannot fit between the
phospholipids generally enter and leave cells
through facilitated diffusion.
… most things are too large or too polar
to cross at reasonable rates using
simple diffusion

Facilitated diffusion:
protein–mediated movement down a
gradient

Transmembrane transport proteins

 Transmembrane transport proteins
allow selective transport of hydrophilic molecules & ions

1. carrier protein
Bind solute,
conformational change,
release
Selective binding

“turnstile”

Solute
Carrier protein

(b) A carrier protein alternates between two conformations, moving a

solute across the membrane as the shape of the protein changes.
The protein can transport the solute in either direction, with the net
Figure 7.15 movement being down the concentration gradient of the solute.
Carrier proteins:
Transport solute across membrane
by binding it on one side,
undergoing a conformational change
and then releasing it to the other side
Types of Transport Proteins
 Channel proteins are
embedded in the cell
membrane & have a
pore for materials to
cross
 Carrier proteins can
change shape to move
material from one side
of the membrane to the
other
 Carrier proteins: three types

(a) Uniport (b) Co-transport

Uniport – one solute transported

[Antiport – two solutes in opposite directions

Symport – two solutes in the same direction
Transmembrane transport proteins
allow selective transport of hydrophilic molecules & ions

aqueous channel 2. channel protein

hydrophilic pore
very rapid
selective –size/charge
EXTRACELLULAR
FLUID

“trap door”

Channel protein
Solute
CYTOPLASM

(a) A channel protein (purple) has a channel through which

water molecules or a specific solute can pass.

Figure 7.15
Diffusion of Water Across A Membrane

 High water concentration Low water concentration

 Low solute concentration High solute concentration
Three Forms of Transport Across the
Membrane
 Passive Transport Active Transport
 Summary:
Passive transport
Active transport
Simple diffusion Facilitated diffusion

No protein channel carrier

carrier protein
protein protein
HIGH to low conc HIGH to low conc low to HIGH conc
favorable favorable Unfavorable
Add energy

ATP

Figure 7.17
Osmosis
 Diffusion of water
across a membrane
Moves from HIGH
water concentration to
LOW water
concentration
 Water is attracted to
solutes (like salt) so it
will also travel to areas
of low solute
concentration to high
solute concentration.
Cells in Solutions
 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
 What is the direction
of water movement?
The cell is at
EQUILIBRIUM
Water will flow in both
directions outside and
The solute and water
inside the cell.
concentrations are the same
inside and outside the cell.
Cell in Hypotonic Solution
 What is the direction
of water movement?
The water is going
INSIDE the cell.
 Water is attracted to the
solute inside the cell.
The solute
concentration is
greater inside the cell
than outside,
therefore water will
flow into the cell.
Cell in Hypertonic Solution
 What is the direction
of water movement?
The water is GOING
OUT of the cell.

The solute concentration is

greater outside the cell,
therefore water will flow
outside the cell.
Cells in Solutions
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 in
Cytolysis elodea.

The destruction of a
cell.
Cells swell and burst
Plasmolysis Plasmolysis
The shrinking of a in elodea.
cell.
Cells shrink and
Normal
shrivel elodea plant
cell
Cytolysis & Plasmolysis

 Cytolysis Plasmolysis
Osmosis in Red Blood Cells

 Isotonic Hypotonic Hypertonic

Three Forms of Transport Across the
Membrane
 Passive Transport Active Transport
Passive Transport: Facilitated Diffusion

 Facilitated Diffusion
Does not require energy
Uses transport proteins to
move high to low
concentration
 Examples: Glucose or amino
acids moving from blood into a
cell.
Proteins are Crucial to Membrane
Function
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.
ACTIVE TRANSPORT
ENDOCYTOSIS, EXOCYTOSIS
How do objects too large to move by
diffusion or transport proteins move
across the plasma membrane?
 Some substances are too big to move by simple
diffusion, facilitated diffusion, or active transport.
 These substances require a different method to get
across the plasma membrane
 If a large object needs to leave the cell, the plasma
membrane can engulf the substance and eject the
substance by exocytosis.
 If a large object needs to enter the cell, the plasma
membrane can engulf the substance and draw it into
the cytoplasm by endocytosis.
Active Transport
 Active Transport
Requires energy or ATP
 Moves materials from LOW
to HIGH concentration
• AGAINST concentration
gradient
Active Transport
 Examples: 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.
 Active Transport--Exocytosis
Exocytosis
Type of active transport
Moving things OUT
Molecules are moved
out of the cell by vesicles
that fuse the with the
plasma membrane.
This is how many
hormones are secreted
and how nerve cells
communicate with each
other.
Exocytosis
Exocytic vesicle
immediately after
fusion with plasma
membrane.
Active Transport--Endocytosis
 Large molecules move materials into the cell by one of
three forms of endocytosis.
 Pinocytosis
 Receptor-mediated endocytosis
 Phagocytosis
Active Transport-Pinocytosis

 Most common form of endocytosis.

Takes in dissolved molecules as a vesicle.
Active Transport-Pinocytosis

Cell forms an invagination

Materials dissolve in water to be brought into
cell
Called “Cell Drinking”
Example of Pinocytosis

 Transport across a capillary cell (blue).

Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis

Some integral proteins have receptors on their surface

to recognize & take in hormones, cholesterol, etc.
Active Transport--Receptor-Mediated
Endocytosis
Active Transport--Phagocytosis

Used to engulf large particles such as food, bacteria, etc.

into vesicles
Called “Cell Eating”
Phagocytosis About to Occur
Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis - Capture
of a parasite (green)
by Membrane
Extensions of an
Immune System Cell
(orange)
parasite macrophage