Biology : Plant Physiology ALLEN®

Pre-Medical

Trans membrane Proteins :

• Channel or tunnel proteins
• Pump proteins
• Porins : Large pores in the outer membranes of the plastids, mitochondria and some bacteria.

Polar Molecules Nonpolar Molecules

Outside the Cell

Plasma
Membrane

Channel Channel
Protein ATP Protein

Cytoplasm

Active Transport Facilitated Diffusion Simple Diffusion

(Passive Transport) (Passive Transport)

Osmosis is the term used to refer specifically to the diffusion of water across a differentially- or
selectively permeable membrane.
• In thermodynamics free energy of water is called water potential (w). Two main components
that determine water potential are :
(a) Solute potential or osmotic potential (s)
(b) Pressure potential (p)
• If some solute is dissolved in pure water, reducing its water potential. The magnitude of this
lowering due to dissolution of a solute is called solute potential or osmotic potential (s)
• If a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is applied to pure water or a solution, its water
potential increases. This increase is called pressure potential (p).
• Water potential of a cell is affected by both solute potential and pressure potential. w = s + p

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Pre-Medical

• Loss of liquid
ALLEN®

Guttation • Through Hydathodes

Leaf • Driven by root pressure
Source for food • Contain dissolved organic and
inorganic substances
Phloem Loading (Active)
Transpiration
Leaf
Phloem • Loss of pure water (Vapors)
(bi-directional transport) Bleeding / exudation • Creates transpiration pull
Phloem sap is mainly water and sucrose Injured plant part
but other sugars, hormones and amino Ascent of sap occurs due to :
acids are also translocated
i. Transpiration pull : Pulling of
(Method - Pressure flow or mass flow) Xylem
Phloem sap - Alkaline
water column
Stem ii. Cohesion : maintenance of
continuity of water column
iii. Adhesion : Attraction
Minerals between water column and
Root Active Absorption polar surface of tracheary
Sink for food
Phloem Unloading (Active)
elements
iv. Surface Tension : Increase
mutual attraction between
A. High tensile strength
B. High capillarity

water molecules
Root pressure
Pushing up water to small heights in the stem.
Responsible for guttation and exudation.
Greatest contribution may be to re-establish
the continuous chains of water molecules in
the xylem.
Biology : Plant Physiology