CELL

TRANSPORT
PRELIM FINAL LESSON
CELL TRANSPORT
 Since cells were known to be the basic unit
of life, it requires to undergone several
chemical
processes where coordinated movement are
essential to maintain its functions. Also, some
substances are needed to be shifted in and
out of the cells. In order to understand further,
let’s
recall the two fluid compartments before
moving into cell transport.
Intracellular fluid - inside the cell
- sample substances that can be found are
enzymes, glycogen and
potassium ions
Extracellular fluid - outside the cell
Interstitial fluids – fluids between cell
within tissue
Plasma – fluid within a blood vessel
Lymph – fluid within lymphatic vessel
Cerebrospinal fluid – fluid that surrounds
brain and spinal cord
CELL TRANSPORTATION
As they move across cells and within the
cells substances including gases,
nutrients and ions
are dissolved in the various fluids. Certain
terms in concentration also applies:
Solute – a substance that is being dissolved
in the various fluids
Solvent – a. fluid or gas in which solute is
being dissolved
Concentration – the amount of solute
dissolved in given volume of solvent
Concentration Gradient – the difference in
concentration of a substance between two
areas
Cell membranes has the unique capability to only allow certain
substances to pass through its
walls—Selective Permeability. Because of this, coupled with
the transport capacity, cells
maintains its concentration of molecules. Movement of
substances may include two processes:
(VanPutte, Regan, & Russo, 2016)

Passive transport – no cellular energy required during

transport. Examples includes
Diffusion, osmosis and facilitated diffusion
Active transport – certain amount of cellular energy is needed
to help transport to be
Successful. Includes itself, secondary active transport,
endocytosis
and exocytosis
Diffusion
Diffusion is the process wherein solutes moves
from an area of high concentration to areas of
low concentration. It can occur in two conditions.
One, the membrane must be permeable
enough to allow passage of substances and two,
there must be a concentration gradient of the
particular substance across the membrane
because it will be the driving force for the
process to
occur.
In the discussion about cell membrane, it was
mentioned that cell membranes has bilipid layers.
This means that those substances which are lipid
soluble like oxygen, carbon dioxide and
steroids can easily pass-through the phospholipid
bilayer. While these substances can readily
pass, other substances needs channels for cell to
accommodate them. For instance, sodium
only enters through sodium channels and the
same is true with potassium. (VanPutte, Regan,
& Russo, 2016)
In addition, cell membrane channels differ in
the degree to which ions pass through them.
Some
channels constantly allow ions to pass
through. These channels are called leak
channels. Other
channels limit the movement of ions across
the membrane by opening and closing.
These
channels are called gated channels.
(VanPutte, Regan, & Russo, 2016)
Osmosis
Osmosis involves the diffusion of water down
the concentration gradient through a
selectively
permeable membrane. In the body, this often
happens when a particular substance can’t
cross
the membrane. In that situation, the water
and not the particles, moves in an effort to
equalize
the concentration. (Thompson, 2015)
Osmotic pressure is the force required to
prevent the movement of water across a
selectively
permeable membrane. Thus, osmotic
pressure is a measure of the tendency of
water to move
by osmosis across a selectively permeable
membrane.
hydrostatic pressure which moves
water out of the tube back into the distilled
water surrounding the tube. Net movement of
water
into the tube stops when the hydrostatic
pressure in the tube causes water to move out of
the
tube at the same rate at which it diffuses into
the tube by osmosis. The osmotic pressure of the
solution in the tube is equal to the hydrostatic
pressure that prevents net movement of water
into
the tube.
• Isotonic —The solute concentration outside the cell is
the same as that inside the cell.
Therefore, water concentration is also the same on both
sides of the cell, and the net
movement of water is zero.
• Hypotonic —The solute concentration outside the cell
is less than the concentration
inside the cell. Therefore, the water concentration
outside is greater than that inside, and
water flows into the cell.
• Hypertonic —The solute concentration outside the cell
is greater than the concentration
inside the cell. Therefore, the water concentration is
greater inside the cell than outside,
and water flows out of the cell.
Carrier-Mediated
Transport Mechanism
Certain molecules just need a medium to bind to
be transported inside the cell. These usually
involves the use of specificity wherein a molecule
can only be accommodated by specific carrier
molecule. Carrier molecules are protein present
in the cell membranes that serves as a flexible
gate that changes shape. There are three kinds of
carrier-mediated transport and these are
facilitated diffusion, active transport, and
secondary active transport.
Facilitated diffusion
Facilitated diffusion is a carrier-
mediated
transport process that moves substances
across the cell membrane from an area of
higher concentration to an area of lower
concentration of that substance.
Active transport
Active transport is the process in which
energy is used to move substances across
a
membrane against a concentration
gradient, that is, from lower concentration
to higher
concentration.
sodium-potassium
pump
sodium-potassium pump moves Na+ out of
cells and K+ into cells (figure 2.11).
The result is a higher concentration of Na+
outside the cell and a higher concentration of
K+
inside the cell. The concentration gradients
for Na+ and K+, established by the
sodiumpotassium
pump, are essential in maintaining the resting
membrane potential.
Secondary active
transport
Secondary active transport involves the active
transport of one substance, such as Na+, across
the cell membrane, establishing a concentration
gradient. The diffusion of that transported
substance down its concentration gradient provides
the energy to transport a second substance, such
as glucose, across the cell membrane (figure 2.12).
In cotransport the diffusing substance moves in
the same direction as the transported substance; in
countertransport, the diffusing substance moves
in a direction opposite to that of the transported
substance.
Endocytosis and
Exocytosis
Endocytosis involves ingesting material
by forming a vesicle from the plasma
membrane. The sac of ingested material
buds off inside the cell and usually fuses
with lysosomes. There are three types of
endocytosis:
Phagocytosis. The cell “eats” large particles such as
bacteria, viruses, and dead cells.
White blood cells and some other cell types phagocytize
bacteria, cell debris and foreign
particles.
Pinocytosis. The cell periodically “drinks” by forming small
vesicles around droplets of
extracellular fluid. These droplets may have small particles
dissolved in them as well.
These vesicles fuse with lysosomes and release their
contents.
Receptor-mediated endocytosis. When hormones bind
to receptors on the plasma
membrane, the hormone–receptor complex is often ingested
by endocytosis after the
hormone has produced its effect.
In contrast, cells often release substances
by a process called exocytosis. They
utilize
membrane-bound sacs called secretory
vesicles to fuse with the cell membrane
and finally
release its content towards the
extracellular space.