Transport across cell membrane

Cell membrane major components

1. Proteins
2. Lipids

(55%)
(42%)
Phospholipids (25%)
Cholesterol
(13%)
Other lipids
(4 %)
3. Carbohydrates
(3 %)

Phospholipids

present

in

cells

membrane

spontaneously form sheet like phospholipid bilayers

The hydrocarbon chains of the phospholipids in

each layer, or leaflet, form a hydrophobic core.

The lipid bilayer has two important properties.
First,the hydrophobic core is an impermeable
barrier that prevents the diffusion of water-soluble
(hydrophilic) solutes across the membrane..
Second property of the bilayer is its stability. The
bilayer structure is maintained by hydrophobic

A and P I / Essentials

Membrane proteins can be classified into two categories;

Integral membrane proteins, also called transmembrane
proteins, cross the phospholipid bilayer and are built of three
segments.
The cytosolic and exoplasmic domains have hydrophilic exterior
surfaces that interact with the aqueous solutions on the cytosolic and
exoplasmic faces of the membrane
Peripheral membrane proteins do not interact with the hydrophobic
core of the phospholipid bilayer.
Instead they are usually bound to the membrane indirectly by
interactions with integral membrane proteins or directly by
interactions with lipid head groups. Peripheral proteins are localized
to either the cytosolic or the exoplasmic face of the plasma
membrane.
Glycocalyx (glycoprotein) Sugar attached to proteins and protrudes
outside the cell membrane, act as receptors for some hormones as
insulin or cellmarkers (antigens)
It also repel negative charged molecules away from the cells.

1.
2.

Cell Membrane Functions

Enclose cell components

Plasma membrane controls movement of molecules in and
out of the cell and functions in cell-cell signaling and cell
adhesion.
3. The phospholipid membranes are permeable to lipid
soluble molecules as fatty acids and steroid hormones
4. Membranes are impermeable to water soluble molecules
due to structure of phospholipid bilayer
5. Integral proteins form channels, for transporting watersoluble substances as glucose amino acids and
electrolytes
6. Internal Peripheral proteins act as enzymes especially
membrane ATPase and GTPase
7. Both types of protein may attach to sugars for cell recognition;
a glycocalyx and act as receptors for some hormones
8. Site for communication between cells (cell signalling
9. Form specialized junctions that allow cell adhesion or

Factors Affecting Permeability

Size of molecules - small ones can fit
through channels
Solubility in lipids increases
permeability - steroids, alcohol
Charges - proteins in membranes have
charges; opposites attract
Presence of protein carriers

How Things Enter and Leave the Cell

Soluble

Particles

How Things Enter and Leave the Cell

Particles
Phagocytosis
Endocytosis
Pinocytosis
Exocytosis

How Things Enter and Leave the Cell

Soluble
Passive transport
1. Simple diffusion
2. Facilitated diffusion
a. Voltage gated channels
b. Legend gated channeles

Active transport
1-Primary active
transport
2-Secondary
active transport

Passive transport
Substances pass through the membranes according to
their concentration gradient from higher concentration
to lower concentration (Downhill)
Water-soluble and charged substances pass through
protein channel of the membrane
A-voltage gated channel open when there is an electric
impulse. Ex Na channel
Legend gated channel open when specific ligand bind to
receptor on the gate ex. Ach. At the neuromuscular
junction
Passive transport is of two types:-

1-Simple diffusion:

depend on electric charge, size and lipid solubility of the

molecule
Oxygen ,Nitrogen are lipid soluble pass easily through cell
membrane
CO2 is hydrophilic but because its small size it cross very
easily
1. Substances can cross membranes by diffusion if they can
dissolve in the oily interior of the membrane (hydrophobic)
2. Movement of substance from where there is more of it to
where there is less of it
3. Powered by random movement of molecules in a solution
4. Net movement is from regions of high concentration to low.
5. Diffusion of different substances do not interfere with each
other (no competition).
6. Net flux (amount of movement) is proportional to the
concentration difference and the permeability of th
membrane.
7. Diffusion can occur through tight junctions or within bulk
solutions.

Fatty Acids, Glycerol,

Alcohol & Urea

The rate of diffusion will be increased when there is :

1. Concentration: the difference in [ ] between two areas
(the [ ] gradient) causes diffusion. The greater the
difference in concentration, the faster the diffusion.
2. Molecular size: smaller substances diffuse more quickly.
Large molecules (such as starches and proteins) simply
cannot diffuse through.
3. Shape of Ion/Molecule: a substances shape may
prevent it from diffusing rapidly, where others may have a
shape that aids their diffusion.
4. Viscosity of the Medium: the higher the viscosity, the
more slowly molecules can move through it.

Facilitated Transport: Some molecules are not

normally able to pass through the lipid membrane,
and need channel or carrier proteins to help
move across.

This does not require energy when moving

[H] to [L] (with the concentration gradient).
Molecules that need help to move through the
plasma membrane are either charged, polar,
large.

them

from

or too

2-Facilitated Diffusion
1. Diffusion of a uncharged molecules through the
membrane via a carrier protein It may be Uniport .ex
glucose transport in the basolateral border of the
intestinal epithelium
2. Co-transport Symport or co-transport as the transport of
Na and glucose in the same direction from intestinal
lumen to the cells
3. Counter transport Antiport or counter-transport the
carrier protein transport two solutes through the
membrane in the opposite direction
4. Proteins act as carriers or pores permit flux of substances
that cannot diffuse directly through the membrane.
5. Movement is still passive i.e from high concentration to
low
6. Occurs across cell membranes only
7. Related substances can compete for the same carrier or
pore .

If molecules are POLAR, CHARGED, or TOO LARGE they need a protein

CARRIER help them across the membrane

EXAMPLES:

sugars, amino acids, ions, nucleotides .

Each protein
channel or
protein carrier
will allow only
ONE TYPE OF
MOLECULE to
pass through it.

Facilitated Diffusion

Active transport

1.

Movement of a substance from a lower concentration

to a higher concentration using a carrier and energy

2. Allows cells to transport materials against a

concentration gradient. (uphill)

3. Moving solutes against a concentration gradient

requires free energy coupling to a favorable process,
such as hydrolysis of ATP, or co-transport of another
solute "down" its concentration gradient

1.

Primary active transport: "uphill" solute transport

directly coupled to an exergonic chemical reaction, e.g.,
ATP hydrolysis

2. Secondary active transport: "uphill" solute transport is

coupled to "downhill" transport of a different solute
whose gradient was established (is maintained) by
primary active transport.

Co-transport

Co-transport
Processes that utilize a favorable gradient for one compound to
drive the uptake of a second compound. Sodium-glucose cotransport across apical surface of intestinal epithelial cells is one
example, accumulating Glucose in cell against its concentration
gradient
Glucose import from intestine made possible by Na+-K+ ATPase
which generates/maintains both high Na+ concentration outside
cell and charge gradient (electrical potential) that both favor Na+
import through Na+-glucose symporter. Permits epithelial cells to
concentrate glucose from intestine to 30,000x
this intestinal concentration Resulting in high concentration of
glucose within cell passes "down" its concentration gradient
through basal surface of cell into blood via GluT2 transporter
(facilitated diffusion, uniport system).

Molecules that pass through the phospholipid bilayer easily...

Hydrophobic molecules (oil soluble)

O2,

N2

Nonpolar

Benzene

Small uncharged Polar molecules

H2O, Urea,
glycerol, CO2

Molecules that do not pass through the phospholipid bilayer easily...

Large uncharged

Glucose

Polar molecules

Sucrose

Ions (charged)

H+ , Na+ , HCO3 , K+Ca2+ ,

Cl- , Mg2+

Molecules that diffuse through cell membranes easily

oxygen Non-polar (hydrophobic or lipophilic) so diffuses

very quickly.

Carbon dioxide Polar but very small so diffuses quickly.

Water Polar but also very small so diffuses quickly.

35

How Things Enter and Leave the Cell

Particles
Phagocytosis
Endocytosis
Pinocytosis
Exocytosis

Phagocytosis - cell eating

It is the intake of a solid material by a cell. Just like pinocytosis, it
involves the invagination of cell membrane in the region where the
macromolecule is present. The invagination traps the solid and gets
pinched off to form a phagocytic vesicle (or phogosome).
This is the process by which an Amoeba ingests its solid food. This is
the process by which WBC engulf pathogenic bacteria.

Pinocytosis - is when the external fluid is engulfed

It is called cell drinking; occurs in the kidney, bladder
and intestine

Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis The ligand binding to specific cell surface

receptor leads to a selective recruitment of ligand-receptor complexes into
clathrin-coated pits. The coated pit represents a small area of the plasma
membrane, which invaginates and pinch-off into vesicle in the cytosol.

Exocytosis - vesicle fuses

with the plasma
membrane and then
ruptures; used in hormone
and neurotransmitter
release

Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a

selectively permeable membrane driven by a
difference in the concentration of solutes on the
two sides of the membrane.
A selectively permeable membrane is one that
allows unrestricted passage of water, but not solute
molecules or ions.
So it is the WATER THAT MOVES to create
equilibrium!!!

Osmosis requires NO ENERGY.

Osmosis is the net movement of

WATER molecules from the area
of [high] of water to the area of
[low] of water until it is equally
distributed.

Because membranes often

restrict or prevent the
movement of some molecules,
particularly large ones, the water
(solvent) must be the one to
move.

To cross the
membrane, water
must move
through a protein
ion channel.
In certain cellular
conditions, these
protein channels
can be opened or

 Osmosis Is the passive transport of

water across a membrane from lower
osmotic pressure to higher osmotic
pressure
Types of solution
Isotonic solution
If the concentration of solute (salt) is equal
on both sides

Hypotonic solution - in this case there are

less solute (salt) molecules outside the cell,
since salt sucks, water will move into the
cell.The cell will gain water and grow larger
and cell may be in danger of bursting

Hypertonic solution - there are more

solute (salt) molecules outside the cell, which
causes the water to be sucked in that
direction.

 Oncotic pressure
The osmotic pressure produced due to the
presence of the colloidal substance (plasma
proteins) in the blood.
It is also called colloidal osmotic pressure and
it equals about 25 mm Hg.

Filtration - movement of solvent and solute

through a membrane via mechanical
(hydrostatic) pressure; occurs at the
glumrular capillary in the kidney