Learning outcomes

2.4 Movement of molecules / substance in and out of cells

a) Describe the following processes:
i. Diffusion
ii. Osmosis
iii. Facilitated diffusion
iv. Active transport
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Types of Transport Across Membrane

Passive
Active Transport
Transport

Facilitated Na-K Pump Bulk Transport

Diffusion Osmosis
Diffusion

Endocytosis Exocytosis

Phagocytosis Pinocytosis
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Characteristic of Cell Membrane

■ Cell membrane is selectively permeable

■ Allow some substances to pass through
■ But does not allow other substances to pass through
■ Cell membrane is permeable to lipid soluble molecule &
small non-polar substance due to its hydrophobic region
of phospholipid bilayer
■ Impermeable to polar molecules & ions
■ Enable cell to retain polar molecules & ions within the cell
(mostly are important for the cell)
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Passive Transport

■ Movement of a substance from higher concentration to

lower concentration gradient // movement of a
substance down a concentration gradient

■ Across a selective permeable membrane

■ Without using energy

Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Diffusion
(extracellular fluid)

Some molecules diffuse

freely across phospholipid
bilayer

(cytoplasm)

■ Movement of a substance from higher concentration to

lower concentration gradient across phospholipid bilayer
■ Without using energy
■ Without the help of transport protein
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Diffusion

■ Molecules that can diffuse easily across phospholipid bilayer:-

⮚ Lipid soluble molecules (eg: cholesterol, steroid)
⮚ Small, non-polar/uncharged molecules (O2, CO2)
⮚ Small, polar molecules (eg: H2O, glycerol)
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Diffusion

■ Although water are polar, they are small enough to pass

through the space between the fluid fatty acids as they
move

■ Rate of diffusion increase when:-

⮚ Temperature increase
⮚ Molecules involved is in gas state rather than liquid
⮚ Size of molecules reduce (faster for smaller
molecules)
⮚ Large differences in concentration gradient between
inside & outside the cell
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Diffusion ~ Importance

■ Enable atoms & small molecules diffuse

faster across membrane
⮚ Eg: O2, CO2 as respiratory gases,
important in ATP synthesis
⮚ Eg: H2O, important to facilitate
chemical reaction

■ Enable lipid soluble molecules to diffuse

freely
⮚ Eg: steroid hormone (testosterone) for
homeostatic regulation
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Facilitated Diffusion

■ Movement of a substance from higher concentration to

lower concentration gradient across plasma membrane
■ With the help of transport protein
■ Without using energy

■ Involve ions & polar molecules (eg: Na+, Cl-, glucose,

amino acids)
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Facilitated Diffusion
Transport protein:- 2 main types

1. Channel protein

2. Carrier protein
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Facilitated Diffusion ~ Importance

■ Transport ions & polar molecules or water soluble

molecules across membrane
■ Eg: water, ions (Na+, Cl-), sugars (glucose) & amino acids
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Osmosis

■ Movement of water molecules

■ From higher water potential to lower water potential region
■ Across a selective permeable membrane
■ Without using energy
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 Explain passive transport across membrane ~ osmosis

Water Potential

Definition:
■ Tendency of water molecules to move from 1 area to another
area

■ Symbol ~ ψ
■ Pure water has the highest water potential, ψ = 0 kPa
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Solute Potential

■ A measure of the change in water potential of a solution due

to the presence of solute molecules
■ When solute molecules is dissolved in pure water, it reduces
its water potential, becoming negative (-ve)
■ As solute concentration in a solution increases, the water
potential decreases (becomes more negative)
■ In other words, high concentration=low water potential

■ Symbol, ψs (always has –ve value)

■ A solution with less solute than the other has higher water
potential (low concentration=high water potential)
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Types of Solution

Hypotonic
■ Low concentration of solute relative to another solution

Hypertoni
c
■ High concentration of solute relative to another solution

Isotonic
■ Same concentration of solute relative to another solution
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Osmosis

Less solute More solute

Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

■ When water diffuse into the plant cell, it enters vacuole

■ Vacuole enlarge & creates a pressure towards cytoplasm & cell
wall called turgor pressure
■ Also called as pressure potential, ψp
■ ψp always has +ve value
■ The point at which plasmolysis is just about to happen → incipient
plasmolysis, ψp = 0
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

When a cell is put into an isotonic solution

■ Water potential inside & outside the cell

is equal
■ Water moves into & out of the cell at the
same rate by osmosis
■ No net movement of water into or out of
the cell
■ Animal / plant cell does not change its
shape
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

When a cell is put into a hypertonic solution

■ The cell has higher water potential than

outside the cell
■ Water moves out from the cell by
osmosis

■ Animal cell becomes crenated / shrink

Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

When a cell is put into a hypertonic solution

■ In plant cell, water moves out from

vacuole → vacuole shrinks
■ Plasma membrane detached &
pulled away from the cell wall
■ Plant cell becomes plasmolysed /
flaccid
■ The starting point of plasmolysis ~
incipient plasmolysis
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

(a) (b) (c)

Plasma
membrane Vacuole
Nucleus

Vacuole

Vacuolar
membrane
(tonoplast) Plasma
Cytoplasm membrane
Turgid Plasmolyzed Plasmolyzed
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

When a cell is put in a hypotonic solution

■ Water potential outside the cell is higher
than in the cell
■ Water from outside moves into the cell by
osmosis
■ Animal cell swell (if too much water
moves in, it may lysed / burst)
■ If erythrocyte burst ~ haemolysis

■ Plant cell becomes turgid

Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport
Outsid Insid Outsid Insid Outsid Insid
e e e e e e
cell cell cell cell cell cell
(a)

No net Net water Net water

water movement movement
movement out of the cell into the cell

(b)

(c)

Isotonic Hypertonic Hypotonic

solution solution solution
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Active Transport

■ Movement of a substances
against concentration gradient
■ Across a selective permeable
membrane
■ Which needs energy
■ Involve transport protein
Active Transport
■ Allow cell to maintain useful
nutrients in the cell against
Na-K
Endocytosis Exocytosis concentration gradient
Pump
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Na-K Pump

■ Outside the cell : [Na+] ↑, [K+] ↓

■ Inside the cell : [Na+] ↓, [K+] ↑
■ Na-K pump is important for transmission of nerve impulses

■ 3 Na+ in the cell binds to a specific site of transport protein

■ The binding of Na+ stimulates the hydrolysis of ATP (in the
cell) into ADP+ Pi
■ Pi binds to transport protein & change its conformation
■ Causes it to pump 3 Na+ to the outside
■ Increasing its concentration outside the cell
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Na-K Pump
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Na-K Pump

■ 2 K+ outside the cell binds to a specific site of transport

protein
■ Stimulates the release of phosphate group from the transport
protein
■ Causes transport protein to restore its original conformation
■ 2 K+ is pumped into the cell
■ Increasing its concentration inside the cell
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Endocytosis

■ A process in which bulk substances are taken into the cell

■ Requires energy
■ Involves invagination (folding) of cell membrane
■ cannot occur in plant cell due to the presence of cell wall
■ 2 types of endocytosis:

Endocytosis

Phagocytosi Pinocytosi
s s
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Phagocytosis
■ A process in which large, solid particles is taken into the cell
■ Presence of large particles causes the cell membrane to invaginate
■ Forming cytoplasmic extension ~ pseudopodia which surround the
large particle & trapped them
■ Pseudopodia fuse together to form phagocytic vacuole / phagosome
■ Primary lysosome will fuse with phagocytic vacuole & activates the
enzyme inside lysosome
■ Secondary lysosome releases its enzyme to digest the particles
■ Useful substance is absorbed into cytoplasm
■ Waste substance is released by exocytosis outside the cell
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

(Phagocytic vacuole)

/secondary lysosome

(exocytosis)

Eg: macrophage engulf bacteria

Eg: Amoeba engulf Paramecium / food
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Pinocytosis

■ A process in which dissolved solutes are taken into the cell

■ Presence of dissolved solutes causes the cell membrane to

invaginate
■ To form a tiny canals of cytoplasmic extension
■ Dissolved solutes are trapped within tiny canals / microvilli
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Pinocytosis
Microvilli Pinocytic vesicle

Cytosol

■ At the end of tiny canals / cytoplasmic extensions, it pinches off

to form pinocytic vesicles / pinosome
■ The dissolved solutes is directly absorbed into cytoplasm
■ Eg: uptake of dissolved solutes in kidney tubules & intestines
Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Phagocytosis & Pinocytosis

Learning Outcomes :
2.4 (a) Describe the following processes: Diffusion, Osmosis, Facilitated diffusion, Active
transport

Exocytosis
■ A process in which cells release substance out of the cell
■ Vesicle move towards cell membrane & fuse with it
■ Substance within vesicles are released outside the cell (during
secretion)

3. release its contents

2. fuses with it outside the cell.

1. A vesicle move towards the plasma membrane

Reference
• Campbell N.A & Reece, J.B., Biology, 6th ed. (2002),
Pearson Education, Inc.
• Solomon E.P & Berg, L.R, Biology, 7th ed. (2005)
Thomson Learning, Inc.
• Mader, S.S Biology, 8th ed. (2004) McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.