Membrane Transport

By
Dr. Ramadan Mohamed Ahmed
 Learning Objectives

By the end of this lecture , you should be able to:

1. Differentiate between passive and active
transport.
2. Mention types of passive transport and give an
example for each type.
3. List the mechanisms of water transport across
membranes.
4. Discuss transport of big molecules across
membranes (.i.e. bulk transport)
5. Describe distribution of total body water.
6. Define homeostasis and identify its advantage.
7. Describe the components of a control system
(.i.e. homeostatic mechanism).
How do molecules move across
the capillary wall or across the
the cell membrane ?
 Transport of molecules
• Simple diffusion.
1-Passive • Simple diffusion of water
transport molecules (.i.e. osmosis).
• Facilitated diffusion.

2-Active
transport
• Endocytosis
3-Bulk • Pinocytosis
transport • Exocytosis
 1- Passive transport
(Simple diffusion)
It is the transport of a substance from
high concentration to low
concentration (i.e. downhill).
It is a passive process (.i.e. there is no
energy cost ).
Fat soluble molecules and ions are
transported by this mechanism.
The rate of diffusion of
a substance depends on:

1. Concentration gradient of the

substance across the membrane.
2. Surface area of the membrane.
3. Permeability of the membrane:
Increased permeability increase diffusion
rate.
Ions pass through membrane channels.
These channels are composed of integral proteins that span the thickness of the
membrane. Some channels are always open, many others have structures known as
“gates” that can open or close the channel. Most, ion channels are relatively
selective—they allow only particular ions to pass.
Water molecules move
across biological
membranes by
Osmosis
 Osmosis

It is the movement of water

molecules across permeable
membrane from high water
concentration (diluted solution) to
low water concentration
(concentrated solution) till
equilibrium.
Red blood cells in isotonic, hypotonic,
and hypertonic solutions.
In each case, the external solution has an equal, lower, or higher osmotic
pressure, respectively, than the intracellular fluid. As a result, water moves
by osmosis into the red blood cells placed in hypotonic solutions, causing
them to swell and even to burst. Similarly, water moves out of
red blood cells placed in a hypertonic solution, causing them to
shrink and become crenated.
 Facilitated diffusion
It a passive transport down
concentration gradient ( from
high to low concentration).
It needs a carrier because the
molecule is an organic water-
soluble molecule i.e. glucose.
 2-Active transport
it occurs against gradient
(from low to high
concentration).
It needs a carrier.
It needs energy (ATP).
 Active transport

Energy is provided directly by ATP.

The carrier then allows transport of a
molecule from low to high
concentration.
The exchange of
intracellular Na+ for K+ by
the Na+/K+ pump. The
active transport carrier
itself is an ATPase that breaks
down ATP for energy. Dashed
arrows indicate the direction of
passive transport (diffusion);
solid arrows indicate the
direction of active transport.
Because 3 Na+ are pumped out
for every 2 K+ pumped in, the
action of the Na+/K+ (ATPase)
pumps help to produce a
difference in charge, or
potential difference, across the
membrane.
 Bulk Transport

Polypeptides and proteins are too large to be

transported through a membrane by carriers.
Endocytosis: It is the process by which molecules are
taken into the cell.
 Pinocytosis is cell drinking.
 Phagocytosis (cell eating) is a type of cell
endocytosis in which the cells engulf bacteria or large
particles.
Exocytosis: It is the process by which the cell
EXCRETES waste products.
 Body Water
 60% percent of a adult male body
weight is water.
 While, only 50% percent of an
adult female body weight is water.
Explain why? (because females have
higher body content of fat which is
poor in water).
 Body Water
 2/3 total body water is in the
intracellular compartment.
 The remaining 1/3 is the
extracellular fluid which is divided
into plasma & the interstitial fluid.
 In old age, only about 45% of body
weight is water.
 Main Cations and Anions
 In ECF:
◦ Cations: sodium
◦ Anions: chloride, bicarbonate.

 In ICF:
◦ Cations: potassium
◦ Anions: phosphate ions, negatively
charged proteins.