2 Cells

Any page references given in this DLS refer to the AQA Biology text book shown here. You
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2.3. Transport across membranes

Specification:
a. The basic structure of all cell membranes, including cell-surface membranes and the
membranes around the cell organelles of eukaryotes, is the same.
b. The arrangement and any movement of phospholipids, proteins, glycoproteins and
glycolipids in the fluid-mosaic model of membrane structure. Cholesterol may also be
present in cell membranes where it restricts the movement of other molecules making up
the membrane.
c. Movement across membranes occurs by:

• simple diffusion (involving limitations imposed by the nature of the phospholipid bilayer)

• facilitated diffusion (involving the roles of carrier proteins and channel proteins)

• osmosis (explained in terms of water potential)

• active transport (involving the role of carrier proteins and the importance of the hydrolysis of
ATP)

• co-transport (illustrated by the absorption of sodium ions and glucose by cells lining the
mammalian ileum).

d. Cells may be adapted for rapid transport across their internal or external membranes by
an increase in surface area of, or by an increase in the number of protein channels and
carrier molecules in, their membranes.

Students should be able to:

• explain the adaptations of specialised cells in relation to the rate of transport across their
internal and external membranes
• explain how surface area, number of channel or carrier proteins and differences in gradients of
concentration or water potential affect the rate of movement across cell membranes.
TASK 1: cell membrane
 Remind yourself of the structure of the cell surface membrane p43-44 (you will have
made notes on this previously in your organelle table)

TASK 2: simple diffusion & facilitated diffusion

 Read and make notes the section on diffusion p44-46 ensuring that you able to answer
the following:
o Give a definition of diffusion
o What is an exchange surface?
o How can you calculate diffusion rate?
o Name and explain the factors that affect diffusion rates
o What type of molecules pass across the membrane by (simple) diffusion?
o What type of molecules pass across the membrane by facilitated diffusion?
o Why can particular cells take up some substances but not others?
o Describe the difference between channel and carrier proteins (you may wish to copy
out fig 3.13)
o Why is diffusion described as a passive process?

TASK 3: required practical - diffusion

 Read through the required practical p47 and attempt questions 1-8.

TASK 4: osmosis
 Read and make notes on the section water potential and osmosis p47-49 ensuring that
you are able to an answer the following:
o What is water potential?
o What is the unit for water potential?
o Pure water has the highest water potential. What is the value of this water
potential?
o Why do all solutions have a negative value for water potential?
o Include fig 3.15 in your notes and label a “free water molecule”
o Define osmosis
o Describe what happens to plant and animal cells when placed in solutions of
different water potentials

TASK 5: required practical - osmosis

 Read through the required practical p49 and attempt questions 1-7

TASK 6: active transport & co-transport

 Read and make notes on the section active transport p50
 Answer the test yourself questions 11-16 p50
 Read through the section co-transport p143. There is no need to make notes on this
section. Some teachers may introduce co-transport at this point while others may
introduce later in the digestion topic.