Diffusion Principles in Biological Systems

Diffusion Principles in biological systems
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Main contents
● Diffusion in the biological membranes
● Diffusive dynamics
● Pharmaceutical and Biological applications of diffusion
What is Diffusion?
Diffusion is a process of transfer of material from high concentration to low
concentration area across concentration gradient.
Diffusion is the net passive movement of molecules or particles from
regions of higher to regions of lower concentration.
For diffusion to occur there must be a concentration gradient.
The dissimilarity in the amounts of solutes, particles, or molecules
between the two regions will cause them to move between the two
regions.
• “Mass transfer of individual molecules of a substance caused by
random molecular motion, associated with a driving force such as
the concentration gradient”
Or
• “ A physical process that refers to the net movement of molecules
from a region of high concentration to lower concentration under
the influence of concentration gradient”
Diffusion in the biological membranes
TYPES OF DIFFUSION
1. Passive diffusion
Net moment of material from an area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration.
The difference between high and low concentration is termed as concentration
gradient.
Diffusion will continue until the gradient has been eliminated.
2. Facilitated (carrier mediated) diffusion
It is moment of molecules across the cell membrane via special transport proteins that
are embedded within the cellular membrane.
3. Active transport
Movement of molecules across a membrane from a region of lower concentration to
higher concentration, against the concentration gradient.
4. Filtration
Movement of solvent or solute molecules, influenced by hydraulic pressure.
Passive Diffusion across biological Membranes
Diffusion Across Biological Membranes
Simple Diffusion Facilitated Diffusion
A type of passive transport A type of passive transport
Substances move from an area or region of higher Substances move from an area or region of higher concentration to
concentration to an area or region of lower concentration an area or region of lower concentration
Does not directly require chemical energy, e.g. ATP or GTP Does not directly require chemical energy, e.g. ATP or GTP
(their movement is downhill or along their concentration (their movement is downhill or along their concentration gradient,
gradient, the process does not require metabolic energy) the process does not require metabolic energy)
Diffusion not assisted by transport proteins Transport proteins (carrier proteins or Escorting proteins) are
required
Rate is generally slower but more straightforward as it does not Rate is generally faster but affected by factors such as temperature
rely upon the binding capacity of membrane proteins with and types of membrane proteins involved, and thus, may be affected
substances for transport by membrane protein inhibitors.
Small nonpolar molecules (e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide) Polar molecules

diffusing easily across the plasma membrane (e.g. glucose and amino acids), larger ions (e.g. sodium ions and
chloride ions), and large nonpolar molecules (e.g. retinol) employ
facilitated diffusion via membrane proteins across the plasma
membrane
Facilitated Diffusion (With use of Carrier Proteins)
Molecules for transport Type of diffusion
Small nonpolar molecules By simple diffusion, i.e. the molecules can easily diffuse
(e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide) across the membrane.
Polar molecules By facilitated diffusion, i.e. the molecules require

(e.g. glucose and amino acids) membrane proteins such as permeates to move along
Larger ions their concentration gradient.
(e.g. sodium ions and chloride ions)
Large nonpolar molecules By facilitated diffusion, i.e. the molecules require

(e.g. retinol) membrane proteins such as retinol-binding protein to
move along their concentration gradient.
Diffusive dynamics
Fick’s Laws of Diffusion
A diffusion process that obeys Fick's laws is called normal or Fickian
diffusion; otherwise, it is called anomalous diffusion or non-Fickian
diffusion.
Fick's first law relates the diffusive flux to the gradient of the
concentration.
It postulates that the flux goes from regions of high concentration to
regions of low concentration, with a magnitude that is proportional
to the concentration gradient (spatial derivative).
In simplistic terms the concept that a solute will move from a region
of high concentration to a region of low concentration across a
concentration gradient.
LAWS OF DIFFUSION (Derived by Adolf Fick in 1856).
Diffusion flux (J) is mass transfer through a unit Cross section area in unit time.
J= dM/S dt
Where
dM is difference or change in mass M of material
S is barrier surface area in Cm2.
dt is difference in time in sec.
• Fick’s First Law of Diffusion

“Diffusion flux is directly proportional to concentration gradient under the assumption of steady state
diffusion”.
J is the flux and is defined by the number or particles that are moving past a given region divided by the area
of that region multiplied by the time interval (atoms/area/time).
J= -D dc/dx
Where,
J= diffusion flux (g/ sq. cm/s).
D= Diffusion coefficient or diffusivity ( cm sq/sec)
dc= change in concentration of material ( g/cubic cm)
dx= change in distance (cm)
Graphical Representation of Fick’s First Law of diffusion
Flux J
Concentration C Gradient = dC/dx
Position, X
Fick’s Second Law of Diffusion
“Change in concentration with time in a particular region is
proportional to the change in concentration gradient at that
point(definite location) in the system at any distance(i.e. A non
steady state of flow).”
dc/dt = -dJ/dx = -D (d2c/dx2)
The diffusion coefficient changes with change in temperature and
viscosity.
Diffusion coefficient is directly proportional to temperature and
inversely proportional to viscosity.
Steady state diffusion
When dC/dt remains constant with time the system is said to be in
steady state.
After some time the concentration gradient or difference between
two compartments becomes 0
-D (d2c/dx2)= 0
Pharmaceutical and Biological
applications of diffusion
• Diffusion phenomena applied in pharmaceutical sciences include:
• Release of drug from dosage form
• Ultra filtration, microfiltration, dialysis, haemodialysis.
• Permeation & distribution of drug in living tissues
• Percutaneous absorption
• Bucal absorption
• Sublingual Absorption
• Gastric Absorption
• Intestinal Absorption
• Transdermal absorption
• Uterine diffusion
• Estimation of molecular weight of polymers
• Prediction of absorption & elimination of drug.

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Diffusion Principles in biological systems

A type of passive transport A type of passive transport

Small nonpolar molecules (e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide) Polar molecules

Polar molecules By facilitated diffusion, i.e. the molecules require

Large nonpolar molecules By facilitated diffusion, i.e. the molecules require

• Fick’s First Law of Diffusion

Concentration C Gradient = dC/dx

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