TRANSPORT MECHANISMS

Structure, function and importance of the plasma membrane

Plasma membranes
 Are made up of a phospholipid bilayer in an aqueous environment.
 Phospholipids are the foundation of all known biological membranes.
 The lipid bilayer forms as a result of the interaction between the non-polar (hydrophobic or water-fearing)
phospholipid tails, the polar (hydrophilic or water-loving) phospholipid heads, and the surrounding water.
STRUCTURES: (RECALL)
1. Transmembrane proteins – serves as channels and function as identification tags
2. membrane proteins – functions as enzymes; as paste or glue forming junctions
3. cholesterol – makes the bilayer stronger.

TRANSPORT MECHANISMS
1. PASSIVE TRANSPORT - heat energy of the cellular environment provides all of the energy, hence, this is not
energy-costly to the cell.
A. Diffusion - is a type of passive transport described as the natural tendency for molecules to move
constantly occurs when the materials on one side of the membrane have a different concentration than
the materials on the other side.
a.Osmosis – a type of diffusion associated with the movement of water molecules through a
membrane.
B. Facilitated Diffusion - utilizes protein transmembrane channels that are specific to certain molecules.
- driven by the concentration of molecules on the inside and the outside of the
membrane
2. ACTIVE TRANSPORT - requires the cell to do work, requiring the cell to expend its energy reserves.

Types of Solutions
1. HYPERTONIC SOLUTION - solution with a higher concentration of solute.
o Water moves out of the cell.
2. HYPOTONIC SOLUTION - solution with a lower concentration of solutes.
o Water moves into the cell.
3. ISOTONIC SOLUTION - Solutions of equal solution concentration.
o Cell gains water at the same rate that it loses it.

HOW DO CELLS BEHAVE IN DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS?

ISOTONIC
o Animal cell’s volume remains constant in this solution
o Plant cell is flaccid and wilts in this condition.
HYPOTONIC
o Red blood cell gains water, swells, and may eventually burst due to excessive water intake.
o Plant cell is turgid and healthy in a hypotonic solution.
HYPERTONIC
o Animal cell shrinks and can die due to water loss.
o Plant cell loses water, shrivels, and its plasma membrane detaches from the cell wall; causes death.

ENDOCYTOSIS
- Generalized non-selective process wherein large molecules enter the cell.
- In this process, the plasma membrane engulfs the particle or fluid droplet and pinches off a membranous sac or
vesicle with a particular fluid inside into the cytoplasm.
1. Phagocytosis - endocytosis of a particulate material
2. Pinocytosis - Endocytosis of liquid material.
3. Receptor-mediated endocytosis - involves the transport of materials through coated vesicles.
EXOCYTOSIS
- The reverse process where a membrane-bound vesicle filled with bulky materials moves to the plasma
membrane and fuses with it. In this process, the vehicle’s contents are released out of the cell.