Cell membrane and Transport

Mechanisms

ADEYEMI D.H.
Department of Physiology
CHS, UNIOSUN
 Transport Mechanisms
• Cell membrane is selectively permeable to some
molecules & ions.
– Not permeable to proteins, nucleic acids, & other molecules.

• Lipid or fat-soluble substances, e.g. O2, CO2, OH; enter

directly into cell membrane through the lipid bilayer.

• Water-soluble substances, e.g. ions, glucose, water;

enter through proteins of the cell membrane.
 Background
Transport Mechanisms
• Transport through the cell membrane, either
directly through the lipid bilayer or through the
proteins, occurs by one of two basic processes

• Passive transport (diffusion)

– Does not require metabolic energy (ATP).

• Active transport:
– Requires ATP.
 Diffusion
• It is the random movement of substance
through the membrane, either directly or in
combination with carrier protein down an
electrochemical gradient.
• There are three types
a. simple diffusion
b. facilitated diffusion
c. osmosis
 Simple diffusion
• It is the kinetic movement of molecules or ions
which occurs through a membrane opening or
through intermolecular spaces.
• It can occur either
– through the interstices of the lipid bilayer if the
diffusing substance is lipid soluble
– through watery channels that penetrate all the way
through some of the large transport proteins
 Simple diffusion
• The lipid solubility of a substance determines
how fast it diffuses through the lipid bilayer
• Water and other lipid insoluble substances have
to pass through the protein channels.
• These protein channels have two important
characteristics
– they are selectively permeable to certain substances,
– many of the channels can be opened or closed by
gates.
• Ligand gated
• Voltage gated
 Simple diffusion
• The lipid solubility of a substance determines
how fast it diffuses through the lipid bilayer
• Water and other lipid insoluble substances have
to pass through the protein channels.
• These protein channels have two important
characteristics
– they are selectively permeable to certain substances,
– many of the channels can be opened or closed by
gates.
• Ligand gated
• Voltage gated
 Facilitated diffusion
• It is also called carrier-mediated diffusion
– That is, the carrier facilitates diffusion of the
substance to the other side.

• In facilitated diffusion, there is a maximum rate

of diffusion possible notwithstanding the
concentration of the diffusing substance.
– This is because there is a maximum amount of
substance that can be transported by the carrier at a
given time.
Facilitated diffusion
 Osmosis
• Net diffusion of H20 across a
selectively permeable
membrane.
• Movement of H20 from a high
[H20] to lower [H20] until
equilibrium is reached.
• 2 requirements for osmosis:
– Must be difference in
[solute] on the 2 sides of
the membrane.
– Membrane must be
impermeable to the
solute.
 Active transport
• It is a Protein-Carrier mediated uphill transport.
– i.e. against electrochemical gradient (from lower to
higher concentration).

• Requires metabolic energy (ATP).

• There are two types

– Primary
– Secondary
 Primary active transport
• Energy is supplied directly from hydrolysis of ATP
for the functioning of the protein carriers.
• Molecule or ion binds to “recognition site” on one
side of carrier protein.
• Binding stimulates phosphorylation (breakdown of
ATP) of carrier protein.
• Carrier protein undergoes conformational change.
– Hinge-like motion releases transported molecules to
opposite side of membrane.
• Some of these carriers transport only one molecule
or ion for another.
Primary active transport
 Primary active transport
• Sodium-Potassium pump (Na+/K+ pump).

• Primary active transport of calcium (Ca2+

ATPase).

• Primary active transport of hydrogen ions (H+/K+

ATPase)
 Na+/K+ pump
• It is a transport process that
– pumps sodium ions outward through the cell membrane
of all cells and at the same time pumps potassium ions
from the outside to the inside.

• It is an ATP enzyme that converts ATP to ADP and Pi.

• Actively extrudes 3 Na+ and transports 2 K+ inward

against concentration gradient.

• It is important in the control of cell size

Na+/K+ pump
 Secondary active transport
• Transport of one or more solutes against an
electrochemical gradient, coupled to the
transport of another solute down an
electrochemical gradient.

• Energy needed for “uphill” movement obtained

from “downhill” transport of Na+.

• Hydrolysis of ATP by Na+/K+ pump required

indirectly to maintain [Na+] gradient.
 Secondary active transport
• If the other molecule or ion is moved in the
same direction as Na+ (into the cell), the
coupled transport is called either: „cotransport‟
or „symport‟.

• If the other molecule or ion is moved in the

opposite direction as Na+ (out of the cell), the
process is called either: „countertransport‟ or
„antiport‟.
 Co-transport

• All solutes move in the same direction i.e “into

the cell”

• e.g.
- Na+– glucose Co transport
- Na+– amino acid Co transport

• In the intestinal tract, & kidney’s brush borders.

Co-transport (Na+/glucose)
 Vesicular Transport
• Vesicles or other bodies in the cytoplasm move
macromolecules or large particles across the
plasma membrane. Types of vesicular transport
include:
• Exocytosis: which describes the process of
vesicles fusing with the plasma membrane and
releasing their contents to the outside of the
cell. This process is common when a cell
produces substances for export.
Exocytosis
 Endocytosis
• Endocytosis: which describes the capture of a
substance outside the cell when the plasma
membrane merges to engulf it. The substance
subsequently enters the cytoplasm enclosed in
a vesicle. This is further subdivided into
• Pinocytosis: engulfing of small particles
• Phagocytosis: engulfing of large particles
 Endocytosis
• Endocytosis: which describes the capture of a
substance outside the cell when the plasma
membrane merges to engulf it. The substance
subsequently enters the cytoplasm enclosed in
a vesicle. This is further subdivided into
• Pinocytosis: engulfing of small particles
• Phagocytosis: engulfing of large particles