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Facilitated Diffusion Is The Process of Spontaneous

Facilitated diffusion is the passive transport of molecules across a cell membrane using integral membrane proteins as channels or carriers. It differs from free diffusion in relying on molecular binding to proteins and saturation kinetics. Channel and carrier proteins selectively transport substances down their concentration gradients without direct ATP usage. Osmosis and tonicity describe the diffusion of water across membranes based on solute concentration gradients. Active transport uses energy and enzymes to move substances against their gradients through endocytosis, exocytosis, and other mechanisms.

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37 views3 pages

Facilitated Diffusion Is The Process of Spontaneous

Facilitated diffusion is the passive transport of molecules across a cell membrane using integral membrane proteins as channels or carriers. It differs from free diffusion in relying on molecular binding to proteins and saturation kinetics. Channel and carrier proteins selectively transport substances down their concentration gradients without direct ATP usage. Osmosis and tonicity describe the diffusion of water across membranes based on solute concentration gradients. Active transport uses energy and enzymes to move substances against their gradients through endocytosis, exocytosis, and other mechanisms.

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ash
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Facilitated diffusion is the process of spontaneous passive

transport of molecules or ions across a cell's membrane via specific


transmembrane integral proteins. Being passive, facilitated transport does not directly
require chemical energy from ATP hydrolysis in the transport step itself; rather,
molecules and ions move down their concentration gradient.
Facilitated diffusion is different from free diffusion in several ways. First, the transport
relies on molecular binding between the cargo and the membrane-embedded channel or
carrier protein. Second, the rate of facilitated diffusion is saturable with respect to the
concentration difference between the two phases; unlike free diffusion which is linear in
the concentration difference. Third, the temperature dependence of facilitated transport
is substantially different due to the presence of an activated binding event, as compared
to free diffusion where the dependence on temperature is mild.

Channel protein is a protein that allows the transport of specific substances across a
cell membrane. Remember that a protein is a biological macromolecule made up from a
menu of 20 different amino acids and that the sequence of those chains determines the
specific shape and function of the protein.
Also remember that a membrane is a thin layer of phospholipids that may or may not
allow substances to cross into or out of a cell. Most cell membranes
are semipermeable, or have selective permeability, meaning that only some particles,
ions, and water can cross the membrane. However, the cell membrane is made up of
fatty acids and lipid layers that repel these substances.

Carrier proteins are proteins involved in the movement of ions, small molecules,
or macromolecules, such as another protein, across a biological membrane. Carrier
proteins are integral membrane proteins; that is, they exist within and span the
membrane across which they transport substances. The proteins may assist in the
movement of substances by facilitated diffusion (i.e., passive transport) or active
transport. These mechanisms of movement are known as carrier-mediated
transport. Each carrier protein is designed to recognize only one substance or one group
of very similar substances. Research has correlated defects in specific carrier proteins
with specific diseases. A membrane transport protein (or simply transporter) is
a membrane protein[4] that acts as such a carrier.

Osmosis a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a


semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated
one, thus equalizing the concentrations on each side of the membrane.

Tonicity is a measure of the effective osmotic pressure gradient, as defined by


the water potential of two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane. In other
words, tonicity is the relative concentration of solutes dissolved in solution which
determine the direction and extent of diffusion. It is commonly used when describing the
response of cells immersed in an external solution.
Unlike osmotic pressure, tonicity is influenced only by solutes that cannot cross the
membrane, as only these exert an effective osmotic pressure. Solutes able to freely
cross the membrane do not affect tonicity because they will always be in equal
concentrations on both sides of the membrane. It is also a factor affecting imbibition.
When two environments are isotonic, the total molar concentration of dissolved solutes
is the same in both of them.

When cells are in isotonic solution, movement of water out of the cell is exactly balanced
by movement of water into the cell. A 0.9% solution of NaCl (saline) is isotonic to animal
cells. When exposing animal tissues to solutions, it is common to use an isotonic
solution such as Ringer's buffered saline so as to prevent osmotic effects and
consequent damage to cells.

Hypotonic comes from the Greek "hypo," meaning under, and "tonos," meaning
stretching. In a hypotonic solution the total molar concentration of all dissolved solute
particles is less than that of another solution or less than that of a cell.

If concentrations of dissolved solutes are less outside the cell than inside, the
concentration of water outside is correspondingly greater. When a cell is exposed to
such hypotonic conditions, there is net water movement into the cell. Cells without walls
will swell and may burst (lyse) if excess water is not removed from the cell. Cells with
walls often benefit from the turgor pressure that develops in hypotonic environments.

Hypertonic comes from the Greek "hyper," meaning over, and "tonos," meaning
stretching. In a hypertonic solution the total molar concentration of all dissolved solute
particles is greater than that of another solution, or greater than the concentration in a
cell.

If concentrations of dissolved solutes are greater outside the cell, the concentration of
water outside is correspondingly lower. As a result, water inside the cell will flow
outwards to attain equilibrium, causing the cell to shrink. As cells lose water, they lose
the ability to function or divide. Hypertonic environments such as concentrated brines or
syrups have been used since antiquity for food preservation because microbial cells that
would otherwise cause spoilage are dehydrated in these very hypertonic environments
and are unable to function.

Active Transport the movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a
region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy.

Endocytosis is a form of active transport in which a cell transports molecules (such as


proteins) into the cell (endo- + cytosis) by engulfing them in an energy-using process.
Endocytosis and its counterpart, exocytosis, are used by all cells because most chemical
substances important to them are large polar molecules that cannot pass through
the hydrophobic plasma or cell membrane by passive means.
Endocytosis includes pinocytosis (cell drinking) and phagocytosis (cell eating).

Exocytosis a process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the
exterior through fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.
Exocytosis (/ˌɛksoʊsaɪˈtoʊsᵻs/[1][2]) is a form of active transport in which
a cell transports molecules (such as proteins) out of the cell (exo- + cytosis) by expelling
them in an energy-using process. Exocytosis and its counterpart, endocytosis, are used
by all cells because most chemical substances important to them are
large polar molecules that cannot pass through the hydrophobicportion of the cell
membrane by passive means.
Exocytosis is also a mechanism by which cells are able to insert membrane
proteins (such as ion channels and cell surface receptors), lipids, and other components
into the cell membrane. Vesicles containing these membrane components fully fuse with
and become part of the outer cell membrane.

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