Introduction to

Physiology
Transport across
cell membrane

• Plasma (cell) membrane

• Is selectively permeable
• Generally not permeable to
• Proteins
• Nucleic acids
• Selectively permeable to
• Ions
• Nutrients
• Waste
• It is a biological interface between the two
compartments
• Site of chemical reactions
• Enzymes located in it
• Receptors: can bond to molecular signals
• Transporter molecules
• Recognition factors: allow for cellular adhesion
Membrane Transport
Bio-physio-chemical phenomenon by which differrent
substances are transported through the cell membrane
from inside to outside or vice-versa in our body
Properties of particles influence permeability
 The relative solubility of the particle in lipid
 The size of the particle
Ions with less than 0.8nm in diameter can
use protein channel

Two general types of forces

(1) Passive forces
(2) Active forces
Transport process for
micromolecules
Lipid soluble substances passing through a membrane
(by diffusion):
• Example
• O2, N2, CO2
• Alcohols and Steroid hormones

Lipid insoluble substances passing through a membrane

by,
• a) simple diffusion through protein channels
• b) facilatated diffusion through carrier protein
• c) active transport through carrier protein

Example: Ions (Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, Ca++, H+)

• Waters,urea, glucose, amino acids.
Diffusion
•The process by which
molecules spread from
areas of high
concentration, to areas of
low concentration.
 Factors
Influencing the
Rate of Net
Diffusion of a
Substance
across a
Membrane
OSMOSIS

• The diffusion of water

(across a membrane) from
high water concentration
(hence a lower solute
concentration) to low water
concentration (hence a
higher solute concentration).
Diffusion vs. Osmosis

10
Tonicity

• The effect of a solution on the osmotic movement of H 20.

• The tonicity of a solution has no units

• Isotonic
If the concentration of solute (salt) is equal on both sides, the
water will move back and forth but it won't have any result on
the overall amount of water on either side

• Hypotonic
The word "HYPO" means less, in this case there are less
solute (salt) molecules outside the cell, since salt sucks, water
will move into the cell

• Hypertonic
The word "HYPER" means more, in this case there are more
solute (salt) molecules outside the cell, which causes the water
to be sucked in that direction.
 Tonicity
and living
cells

12
Assisted Membrane Transport

Carrier-
mediated small to moderate-sized water-soluble substances
transport

Vesicular large molecules and multimolecular particles

transport
Carrier-Mediated Transport

Transport across cell membrane by protein carriers.

Characteristics of protein carriers:

• Specificity:
• Interact with specific molecule only.
• Competition:
• Molecules with similar chemical structures compete for carrier site.
• Saturation:
• Carrier sites filled.
 Carrier-mediated transport is accomplished by a membrane
carrier changing its shape
Channels Vs Carriers
 Transmembrane proteins
 Ions →Channels
 Small Polar Molecules → Carriers
 Channels can be open or closed,
but carriers are always open

 Movement through channels is

considerably faster than carrier-
mediated transport

Facilitated diffusion is
Ex: Transport of glucose into passive carrier-mediated
cells by GLUT transport
Facilitated
Diffusion

• Facilitated diffusion: Passive

• ATP not needed. Powered by thermal
energy.
• Involves transport of substance
through cell membrane from higher
to lower concentration.
PRIMARY ACTIVE TRANSPORT

Active transport
is a carrier-mediated transport
that uses energy and moves a
substance against its
concentration gradient
Na+ - K+
ATP-ase
Pump
• Responsible for
membrane potential
• Helps maintaining
the normal cell
volume
• Basis of nerve action
Na+-K+
ATPase
Pump
o It establishes Na+ and K+
concentration gradients across
the plasma membrane of all cells
o It helps regulate cell volume by
controlling the concentrations of
solutes inside the cell and thus
minimizing osmotic effects that
would induce swelling or
shrinking of the cell.
o The energy used to run the Na+–
K+ pump also indirectly serves as
the energy source for secondary
active transport