Cell Membrane and Transport
Notes
Biology I
y7 -solution- a mixture in which one
or more substances are uniformly
distributed in another substance
-solute-the substance dissolved in the
solution
-solvent-the substance in which the
solute is dissolved (usually water)
Water is known as the “universal
solvent” because so many substances
will dissolve in water.
Remember me?
I’m POLAR!
-concentration-the measurement of the
amount of solute dissolved in a fixed
amount of solution
The more solute dissolved in the
solution, the greater the
concentration of the solution.
-Every living cell exists in a fluid
environment. Part of maintaining
homeostasis involves keeping the cell’s
internal conditions fairly constant. It
does this by regulating the movement of
molecules from one side of the
membrane to the other side.
PASSIVE TRANSPORT ACROSS MEMBRANES
(moves down a concentration gradient and
does NOT require energy)
1. diffusion- the movement of particles
from an area of high concentration to
an area of low concentration until the
concentration on both sides of the
membrane is the same
Diffusion Animation
a.concentration gradient-the
difference in the concentration of
molecules across a space
b.dynamic equilibrium-state in which
the concentration of molecules of a
substance is the same throughout a
space (The molecules are distributed
evenly.)
c. Diffusion does not stop when dynamic
equilibrium is reached. Particles will
continue to move across the membrane in
both directions so that there is no net
change in the concentration on either side
of the membrane.
2. facilitated diffusion- diffusion in
which carrier or channel proteins are
used to transport molecules to the
other side of the membrane
a.carrier or channel proteins-proteins
that aid in the movement of molecules
across the cell membrane
Facilitated Diffusion Animation
3. osmosis- the movement of water
molecules from an area of high
concentration to an area of low
concentration: the facilitated diffusion
of water
Because the inside of a cell’s lipid
bilayer is nonpolar, water molecules
may have a tough time passing
through the cell membrane.
However, they are small enough
to diffuse through.
Many cells contain water channel
proteins, known as aquaporins, that allow
water to pass right through them.
Without aquaporins, water would
diffuse in and out of cells very slowly.
• Water ALWAYS moves from high to low
concentration of water molecules,
meaning water moves toward the area
that has the most solute particles.
The net movement of water out of or into a
cell exerts a force known as osmotic
pressure.
a.hypertonic solution- solution with a
higher concentration of solute than the
cell (water moves out of cell)
b. hypotonic solution- solution with a lower
concentration of solute than the cell (water
moves into cell)
c. isotonic solution- solution with the same
concentration of solute as the cell (no net
movement of water)
Osmosis Animation
NO ENERGY IS REQUIRED FOR PASSIVE
TRANSPORT!
ACTIVE TRANSPORT ACROSS MEMBRANES
(move up (against) a concentration gradient
and does require energy)
-Active transport is the movement of
molecules against (up) the
concentration gradient. (from an area of
low concentration to an area of high
concentration)
1. sodium-potassium pump- transports 3
sodium ion out and 2 potassium ions into the
cell in a complete cycle: uses carrier proteins
Sodium Potassium Pump Animation
2. endocytosis- the movement of
substances into a cell by means of a
vesicle
Two types:
Pinocytosis-involves the transport of
solutes or fluids
Phagocytosis-the movement of large
particles or whole cells
oUsed by ameoba to engulf particles
of food by using extensions of the
cytoplasm (pseudopods) to surround
a particle and package it into a
vesicle.
3. exocytosis- the movement of
substances out of a cell by means of a
vesicle
The membrane of the vacuole
surrounding the material fuses
with the cell membrane, forcing
the contents out of the cell.
Endocytosis and Exocytosis Animat
ion
ACTIVE TRANSPORT REQUIRES ENERGY!!
PASSIVE/ACTIVE TRANSPORT MOUNTAIN
ANALOGY
The Fluid Mosaic Model
• The plasma membrane is very fluid. This means
that the phospholipids are able to move freely.
They may exchange places with adjacent
phospholipids or flip flop with those on the
other side of the bilayer.
• The membrane has the consistency of olive oil.
This fluidity is due to the unsaturated fatty acid
chains found on some phospholipid tails.
• Cholesterol found within the membrane helps
to maintain this fluidity at normal
temperatures.
• A cell membrane is a collage of different
proteins embedded in the fluid matrix of
phospholipids. This is the mosaic part of the
fluid mosaic model.
• Proteins in the membrane have many
functions including transport, enzymatic
activity, signaling, and cell-to-cell recognition.
• Some proteins have carbohydrate chains
(glycoproteins) and some phospholipids do
(glycolipids).
