The big picture

Cells need to import and export materials for their survival. This can be as cell defense (killing
pathogens) or to maintain homeostasis (cell osmotic pressure) They can do this due to the cell
membrane

Essential things like glucose, hormones, and ions, are imported.

Waste products that are toxic to the cell, as well as useful substances that need to be secreted,
such as enzymes and hormones, are exported.

Passive methods of transport across membranes

Diffusion: Movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of low
concentration because of random motion of particles

1. Simple diffusion: Passive movement of particles across the cell membrane that occurs in
gas or liquid form and requires a concentration gradient. Such particles move from an
area of high concentration to one of low concentration. These can include the
movement of Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, Urea

2. Facilitated Diffusion: Passive movement of particles across the cell membrane via the
aid of channel or carrier proteins, where such particle moves from a higher
concentration to another area of low concentration

The size and shape of the protein determines what substances can cross its membrane
(EX; Chloride channels can only allow the facilitated diffusion of chloride ions)
(EX: k+ channels in the neurons can only allow the facilitated diffusion of k+ ions)
Factors that affect the rate of diffusion:
1. Temperature – molecules diffuse faster if the temperature is higher.

2. Surface area of membrane – an increase in surface area allows more molecules to

diffuse.

3. Size of particles – smaller molecules diffuse faster than larger ones.

4. Concentration gradient of diffusing particles – the bigger the gradient the faster the
diffusion

Osmosis: a passive movement of water molecules from a region of lower solute concentration
to a region of higher solute concentration passing across a partially permeable membrane. Can
lead to a gain or loss of water in a cell

Solutes: particles that dissolve in water and do not move during osmosis, just determine
the directions the water moves. / Water: solvent

1. Solution with lower concentration of solutes: Hypotonic

2. Solutions have equal concentration of solutes: Isotonic

3. Solution with higher concentration of solutes: Hypertonic

Water always moves by osmosis from the hypotonic solution to the hypertonic solution.
1. 2. 3.
Active transport across membranes
Active transport is the movement of particle across a cell membrane, requiring energy in form
of ATP to be able to move substances from a region of lower concentration to one of a higher
concentration. Requires a protein pump to move the substances

Can be seen in the sodium-Potassium Pumps where the concentration of sodium ions needs to
be higher outside the neuron, while potassium ions concentration needs to be higher inside

1. When the pump is open to the inside of the axon, three sodium ions (Na+) enter the
pump and attach to their binding sites.

2. ATP donates a phosphate group to the pump.

3. The previous stage causes the protein to change shape expelling Na+ to the outside.
4. Two potassium ions (K+) from outside then enter and attach to their binding sites.

5. The binding of the K+ leads to the release of the phosphate which causes the pump to
change shape again so that it is only open to the inside of the axon.

6. K+ is released inside.

7. Na+ can now enter and bind to the pump again.

Endocytosis and Exocytosis
Cells often have to intake or remove substances in great amounts. This takes the form of bulk
transport and can be of two types: Endocytosis and Exocytosis. These are critical processes as
not all substances are able to pass through the membrane

Endocytosis: Process by which cells take in substances from outside of the cell by engulfing
them in a vesicle.
Can be phagocytosis or pinocytosis.

Pinocytosis is the intake in of liquid substances by cells (‘cell drinking’),

Phagocytosis is the intake of solids solid materials (‘cell eating’).

EX: a white blood cell or phagocyte engulfs a pathogenic microbe. Which is the digested
by lysosomes and become another vesicle

Exocytosis: Process by which cells eject substances from inside the cell
Can be excretion or secretion

Excretion: the undigested remains of the solid material is removed from the cell

Secretion: protein synthesized by the ribosomes in the ER, are passed to Golgi apparatus
via vesicles, where they are modified and transported via vesicles towards the plasma
membrane, where they fuse and release the substances

Opposite can also be true

Estimating the Osmolarity in tissues

Osmolarity: a measure of the solute concentration