Cell Transport Mechanisms

Cell Membrane
● Cell membrane is a semipermeable layer surrounding the cell plasma
● It is composed of a lipid bilayer
● The membrane is about 7.5 - 10 nm thick
● Macromolecules in the membrane are distributed as follows:
○ Proteins: 50 - 55%
○ Lipids: 42 - 45%
○ Carbohydrates: 2 - 5%

Membrane Lipids & Glycolipids

● Membrane lipids include phospholipids, cholesterols, and sphingomyelins
● Phospholipids include phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and
phosphatidylinositol
● Phosphatidylinositol function in anchoring proteins on the membrane

Membrane Proteins & Glycoproteins

● Membrane proteins can be integral or peripheral proteins (went all the way to one
side to another (trans membrane)
● They are linked to membrane lipids by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors
● Membrane proteins have various functions such as channels, pumps, carriers,
enzymes, receptors, cell adhesion, and antigen recognition
● Glycoproteins are responsible for cell adhesion and antigen recogntion

Proteins are Crucial to Membrane Function

● Proteins play a role in structural support, recognition, communication, and transport

Transport across the cell membrane

● Sarin nerve gas blocks the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (ACh) in the
nervous system, leading to over-stimulation of cells
● Sarin gas quickly breaks down but can persist in victims' blood for 16-26 days
● Sarin gas can cause death within 1-10 minutes of exposure

Membrane permeability
 ● Membrane permeability depends on the size, polarity, and charge of molecules
● Uncharged polar molecules (small water, glycerol, ethanol, and large amino acids,
glucose, nucleosides molecules) and nonpolar molecules like hydrophobic molecules
can diffuse through the membrane
● Charged molecules and large hydrophilic molecules do not diffuse through the
membrane
● Smaller molecules and less polar molecules diffuses faster while charged molecules
dont

Types of Cell Membrane Transport

● Cell Transport:
- Passive: Requires no energy input; substances move from areas of high
concentration to low concentration.
- Active: Requires energy input (usually in the form of ATP) to move substances
against their concentration gradient.
● Passive Transport:
- Simple Diffusion: Movement of small, nonpolar molecules across the membrane
from high to low concentration.
- Osmosis: The diffusion of water molecules across the membrane.
- Facilitated Diffusion: Movement of specific molecules, especially polar or charged
ones, through protein channels or carriers.
● Active Transport:
- Pump (Primary and Secondary): Active movement of molecules or ions against
their concentration gradient.
- Vesicle (Exocytosis and Endocytosis): Bulk transport involving the fusion or
budding of membrane-bound vesicles.
- Pinocytosis (Cell drinking): The cell engulfs fluid or dissolved molecules.
- Phagocytosis (Cell eating): The cell engulfs solid particles or other cells.
- Receptor Mediated: Specific molecules are captured by receptor proteins and
brought into the cell.
● Others:
- Filtration: The movement of particles through a barrier by applying pressure.
- Dialysis: A process that separates solutes from a solvent based on size and
charge.
- Bulk Flow: The mass movement of a fluid due to pressure differences.
- Solvent Drag: A phenomenon where water movement drags solute particles along
with it.

Simple Diffusion
● Simple diffusion does not require energy
● Molecules move from an area of high concentration to low concentration

Diffusion
 ● Diffusion is a passive process that relies on the natural kinetic energy of molecules. It
is kinetic motion of molecules along electrochemical gradients
● No energy is used to make molecules move
● Diffusion of Lipids: dye is dropped in, diffusion begins, dye is evenly distrubuted
● Diffusion Through a Membrane: solute moves DOWN the concentration gradient.
(HIGH to LOW)
● Factors affecting the rate of diffusion include membrane permeability, concentration
gradient, electrical potential, and pressure gradient

Osmosis
● Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a membrane
● Water moves from an area of high water concentration to low water concentration
● Water is attracted to solutes, so it also moves to areas of high solute concentration

Cells in Solutions
● Isotonic solution: solute concentration is the same inside and outside the cell
- No net movement of water.
- Equal amounts of water leaving and entering the cell.
● Hypotonic solution: solute concentration is lower outside the cell
- Cytolysis (The destruction of a cell).
- Cells swell and burst because water enters the cell faster than it leaves, causing the
cell to expand and potentially burst due to osmotic pressure.
● Hypertonic solution: solute concentration is higher outside the cell
- Plasmolysis (The shrinking of a cell).
- Cells shrink and shrivel because water leaves the cell faster than it enters, causing
the cell to lose water and shrink as a result.
Simple Diffusion
● Movement of small, nonpolar molecules through the lipid bilayer.
● Occurs when molecules can pass directly through the lipid components of the cell
membrane without the need for specific transport proteins.
● Molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower
concentration, driven by the concentration gradient.

Facilitated Diffusion
● Molecules can move through channel proteins via facilitated diffusion
● Some carrier proteins can bond with molecules and drag them through the lipid
bilayer

Channel-Mediated Diffusion
● Movement of specific molecules, often ions, through protein channels in the cell
membrane.
 ● These protein channels act as selective gates, allowing only particular molecules or
ions to pass through.
● Molecules move from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration
along their concentration gradient.
● This form of diffusion is facilitated by transmembrane proteins that form channels in
the membrane, ensuring the controlled passage of molecules or ions.

Carrier-Mediated Diffusion
● Movement of specific molecules, such as glucose or ions, across the cell membrane
with the assistance of carrier proteins.
● Carrier proteins bind to the molecules they transport and undergo a conformational
change to move the molecules from one side of the membrane to the other.
● This process is selective and allows the movement of molecules from areas of higher
concentration to areas of lower concentration along their concentration gradient.
● It does not require energy input and is a passive transport mechanism.

Primary Active Transport

Example : (Sodium-Potassium Pump):

1. The sodium-potassium pump binds three sodium ions and a molecule of ATP.

2. The splitting of ATP provides energy, changing the shape of the pump's protein channel.

3. This change in shape drives the sodium ions through the channel and out of the cell,
against their concentration gradient.

4. The sodium ions are released to the outside of the cell membrane.

5. The altered shape of the pump now allows two potassium ions to bind.

6. Release of the phosphate group from ATP allows the pump to revert to its original form,
releasing the potassium ions on the inside of the cell membrane.

Other examples are proton and calcium pumps

Secondary Active Transport

● Relies on the Na+ gradient created by primary active transport
● Sodium-glucose transporter is an example of secondary active transport

Exocytosis
 ● Exocytosis is like the cell's way of sending out “packages”, including secretory
vesicles, to the outside world.
● Inside these vesicles are various things like proteins and other molecules, which are
the secreted proteins.
● Some of these packages follow a precise schedule, making it a regulated secretion
process. This regulated secretion is essential for specific cellular events, triggered
by signals like changes in calcium ion concentrations
● In regulated secretion, there are specific signaling cell membrane pathway
proteins involved, ensuring a well-timed “delivery”. This is important for processes
like neurotransmitter release in nerve cells and hormone secretion.
● Other times, the cell just releases these packages randomly, which is more like
unregulated membrane fusion.
● Regardless of the type, these “deliveries” help with cell functions and communication.
● The Golgi apparatus acts as a sorter, packaging these items for “delivery”, and also
plays a role in forming the secretory vesicles.
● It also has receptors that help in signal transduction, directing what needs to be
sent out, this is referred to as the signal transduction ligand.

The process is a bit like a conveyor belt, with different "pathways" or routes for the
“packages” to follow before reaching the cell membrane where they fuse and release their
contents to the outside

Endocytosis
● Endocytosis is like the cell's way of taking in packages from the outside world,
including various substances like nutrients, particles, and even specific molecules.
● There are different types of endocytosis:

- Phagocytosis: In phagocytosis, a cell engulfs a bacterium using membrane evaginations

called "pseudopodia." These pseudopodia are like extensions of the cell membrane that
surround and capture the bacterium, forming a "phagosome." This process is similar to the
cell's way of "eating" large solid particles.

- Pinocytosis: Pinocytosis involves the cell "drinking" by taking in droplets of "extracellular

fluid" along with dissolved substances. It's like the cell's way of "sampling" its surroundings.
The substances are enclosed in "pinocytotic vesicles."

- Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis (RME): In RME, specific molecules called "ligands"

interact with "coated receptors" on the cell membrane, leading to the formation of "coated
pits." These coated pits then pinch off to create "coated vesicles." These vesicles contain the
ligands, and this process is a more precise and targeted form of endocytosis.

- Coating proteins, mainly "clathrin," play a crucial role in forming these coated vesicles.

- The packages taken in through endocytosis end up inside the cell in small vesicles, where
the cell can digest and process them. For example, in phagocytosis, the phagosome fuses
with the pinocytotic vesicle to form a "lysosome," which contains "lysosomal enzymes" for
digestion.
- The digestion products are released from the cell through the "endosome."

- This process is essential for nutrient acquisition and regulating the cell's environment,
contributing to cellular homeostasis and various cellular functions.

- The cell nucleus remains unaffected by these endocytic processes

Cell Transport Mechanisms MCQs

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

Cell Membrane

The primary component of the cell membrane is:

a) Proteins

b) Lipids

c) Carbohydrates

d) Nucleic Acids

The thickness of the cell membrane is approximately:

a) 1-2 nm

b) 5-7 nm

c) 7.5-10 nm

d) 10-15 nm

Which of the following molecules is NOT a major component of the cell membrane?

a) Phospholipids

b) Cholesterol

c) DNA

d) Sphingomyelins

Membrane Lipids & Glycolipids

Phosphatidylinositol plays a role in:

a) Forming the bilayer structure

b) Signaling pathways

c) Energy production

d) Cell adhesion

Glycolipids are involved in:

a) Maintaining membrane fluidity

b) Cell-cell recognition

c) Transport processes

d) All of the above

Membrane Proteins & Glycoproteins

Membrane proteins can be classified as either:

a) Integral or peripheral

b) Simple or complex

c) Charged or uncharged

d) Hydrophilic or hydrophobic

Which of the following functions is NOT performed by membrane proteins?

a) Enzymatic activity

b) Signal transduction

c) Cell-to-cell communication

d) Passive transport

Glycoproteins are essential for:

a) Maintaining membrane structure

b) Cell recognition and adhesion

c) Regulation of transport processes

d) Both b and c

Transport across the Cell Membrane

Sarin gas disrupts communication in the nervous system by inhibiting the breakdown of:

a) Dopamine

b) Acetylcholine

c) Serotonin

d) Glutamate

The permeability of the cell membrane depends on the:

a) Size and charge of molecules

b) Temperature and pressure

c) Both a and b

d) Presence of specific transport proteins

Types of Cell Membrane Transport

Which type of transport requires energy input?

a) Passive transport

b) Active transport

c) Bulk flow

d) Filtration

Simple diffusion involves the movement of molecules:

a) From low to high concentration

b) Against their concentration gradient

c) Through protein channels

d) From high to low concentration

Osmosis is the diffusion of:

a) Ions

b) Sugars

c) Water

d) Gases

A cell placed in a hypertonic solution will:

a) Swell

b) Shrink

c) Maintain its shape

d) Burst

Passive Transport

Facilitated diffusion is a form of passive transport that utilizes: a) Concentration gradients b)

Protein channels or carriers c) Energy from ATP d) Both a and b

Active Transport

The sodium-potassium pump is an example of:

a) Primary active transport

b) Secondary active transport

c) Facilitated diffusion

d) Simple diffusion
Secondary active transport relies on the energy gradient established by:

a) Primary active transport

b) Concentration gradients

c) Electrical gradients

d) Pressure gradients

Vesicle Transport

Exocytosis involves the release of materials from the cell by:

a) Phagocytosis

b) Pinocytosis

c) Fusion of vesicles with the membrane

d) Diffusion through the membrane

Phagocytosis is the process by which cells engulf:

a) Small molecules

b) Dissolved nutrients

c) Large particles

d) Water

Receptor-mediated endocytosis involves specific interactions between:

a) Ligands and receptors

b) Ions and channels

c) Water and solutes

d) Proteins and carbohydrates

Other Transport Mechanisms

Filtration involves the movement of particles through a barrier due to:

a) Concentration gradients

b) Electrical gradients

c) Pressure differences

d) Temperature gradients

Dialysis separates solutes from a solvent based on:

a) Size and charge

b) Concentration

c) Temperature

d) Pressure

Bulk flow refers to the mass movement of a fluid due to:

a) Diffusion

b) Osmosis

c) Pressure differences

Solvent drag describes the phenomenon where: a) Water movement pulls solutes along b)

Solutes block water movement c) Pressure differences create a flow d) Ions move through

channels

Simple Diffusion

Diffusion is driven by the:

a) Electrical gradient

b) Concentration gradient

c) Pressure gradient
d) Temperature gradient

Factors affecting the rate of diffusion include:

a) Membrane permeability

b) Concentration gradient

c) Electrical potential

d) All of the above

Osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from:

a) High solute concentration to low solute concentration

b) Low solute concentration to high solute concentration

c) Nonpolar to polar regions

d) Inside the cell to outside the cell

A cell in an isotonic solution experiences:

a) Net movement of water into the cell

b) Net movement of water out of the cell

c) No net movement of water

d) Lysis

In a hypotonic solution, a cell will:

a) Swell

b) Shrink

c) Maintain its shape

d) Burst
Plasmolysis is the shrinking of a cell in a:

a) Hypotonic solution

b) Hypertonic solution

c) Isotonic solution

d) Dialysis solution

Simple Diffusion

Simple diffusion allows the passage of: a) Ions b) Large polar molecules c) Small nonpolar

molecules d) Charged molecules

Facilitated Diffusion

Facilitated diffusion is selective because it relies on:

a) Concentration gradients

b) Specific transport proteins

c) Energy from ATP

d) Size and charge of molecules

Channel proteins provide a passage for the movement of:

a) Ions and small molecules

b) Large molecules and particles

c) Water and solutes

d) All of the above

Carrier proteins undergo a shape change during:

a) Simple diffusion

b) Facilitated diffusion

c) Active transport
d) Osmosis

Active Transport

Active transport requires energy input in the form of:

a) ADP

b) ATP

c) Glucose

d) Water

The sodium-potassium pump maintains:

a) Concentration gradients of sodium and potassium ions

b) Electrical neutrality of the cell

c) Cell shape and structure

d) Signal transduction pathways

Secondary active transport utilizes the energy gradient created by:

a) Primary active transport

b) Concentration gradients

c) Pressure gradients

d) Electrical gradients

Vesicle Transport

The Golgi apparatus plays a role in:

a) Packaging materials for exocytosis

b) Uncoating vesicles during endocytosis

c) Directly transporting molecules across the membrane

d) Breaking down waste products in lysosomes

Exocytosis is essential for the release of:

a) Waste products

b) Extracellular fluids

c) Cellular secretions

d) Engulfed particles

Phagocytosis is a form of endocytosis used by:

a) Epithelial cells

b) Muscle cells

c) White blood cells

d) Nerve cells

Other Transport Mechanisms

Filtration is used in the kidneys to remove:

a) Large molecules from the blood

b) Small molecules and waste products

c) Water and electrolytes

d) Proteins and glucose

Dialysis is a medical treatment that removes:

a) Excess water from the body

b) Waste products and toxins from the blood

c) Proteins and large molecules

d) All of the above

Bulk flow is the primary mechanism for the movement of:

a) Blood in the circulatory system

b) Ions across cell membranes

c) Water through osmosis

d) Glucose into cells

Matching

Match the following transport processes with their descriptions:

a) Simple diffusion

b) Facilitated diffusion

c) Active transport

d) Osmosis

i) Requires energy input

ii) Movement of water across a membrane

iii) Diffusion through protein channels

iv) Passive movement down a concentration gradient

Match the following transport processes with their descriptions:

a) Simple diffusion (iv)

b) Facilitated diffusion (iii)
c) Active transport (i)
d) Osmosis (ii)

i) Requires energy input

ii) Movement of water across a membrane
iii) Diffusion through protein channels
iv) Passive movement down a concentration gradient

Match the following types of endocytosis with their functions:

a) Phagocytosis (c) Engulfing large particles and microbes

b) Pinocytosis (b) Drinking in fluids and solutes
c) Receptor-mediated endocytosis (d) Selective uptake of specific molecules

Answer Key

1. b) Lipids
2. c) 7.5-10 nm
3. c) DNA
4. b) Signaling pathways
5. d) All of the above
6. a) Integral or peripheral
7. d) Passive transport
8. d) Both b and c
9. b) Acetylcholine
10. c) Both a and b
11. b) Active transport
12. d) From high to low concentration
13. c) Water
14. b) Shrink
15. d) Both a and b
16. a) Primary active transport
17. a) Primary active transport
18. c) Fusion of vesicles with the membrane
19. c) Large particles
20. a) Ligands and receptors
21. c) Pressure differences
22. a) Size and charge
23. c) Pressure differences
24. a) Water movement pulls solutes along
25. b) Concentration gradient
26. d) All of the above
27. b) Low solute concentration to high solute concentration
28. c) No net movement of water
29. a) Swell
30. b) Hypertonic solution
31. c) Small nonpolar molecules
32. b) Specific transport proteins
33. a) Ions and small molecules
34. b) Facilitated diffusion
35. b) ATP
36. a) Concentration gradients of sodium and potassium ions
37. a) Primary active transport
38. a) Packaging materials for exocytosis
39. c) Cellular secretions
40. c) White blood cells
41. a) Large molecules from the blood
42. d) All of the above
43. a) Blood in the circulatory system
44. Matching: i) c) Active transport ii) d) Osmosis iii) b) Facilitated diffusion iv) a) Simple
diffusion
45. Matching: a) Phagocytosis (c) Engulfing large particles and microbes b) Pinocytosis
(b) Drinking in fluids and solutes c) Receptor-mediated endocytosis (d) Selective
uptake of specific molecules