Transport Mechanism

Models of Membrane Structure Types of Transport

Passive Transport
(high conc. ⇒ low conc.; does not require the use of
energy)
• Simple diffusion
• Facilitated diffusion
• Osmosis

Active Transport
(low conc. ⇒ high conc.; requires the use of energy)
• Primary (direct) active transport
• Secondary (indirect) active transport
Davson-Danielli Model (1935)
• Or the "paucimolecular model“ Passive Transport
• Proposed by Hugh Davson and James Danielli • A naturally occurring phenomenon and does
not require the cell to exert any of its energy to
accomplish the movement.
• Substances move from an area of higher
concentration to an area of lower
concentration.
• Concentration gradient - a physical space in
which there is a range of concentrations of a
single substance

Singer-Nicolson Model (1972)

Diffusion
• Or the "fluid mosaic model“
• A passive process of transport
• Proposed by S.J. Singer and Garth L. Nicolson
• A single substance tends to move from an area
of high concentration to an area of low
concentration until the concentration is equal
across a space.

Principal Components:
• Lipids Factors that Affect the Rate of Diffusion
o phospholipids & cholesterol Extent of the Concentration Gradient
• Protein • The greater the difference in concentration, the
• Carbohydrates more rapid the diffusion. The closer the
o attached to proteins - glycoproteins distribution of the material gets to equilibrium,
o attached to lipids – glycolipids the slower the rate of diffusion becomes.
o glycolipids and glycoproteins are
collectively called “glycocalyx”
Mass of Molecules Diffusing Carrier Proteins
• Heavier molecules move more slowly; therefore, • Transport ions
they diffuse more slowly. The reverse is true for • Typically specific for a single substance
lighter molecules.
Temperature Transport Proteins: Channel Proteins
• Higher temperatures increase the energy and
therefore the movement of the molecules,
increasing the rate of diffusion. The reverse is
true for lower temperatures.
Solvent Density
• As the density of a solvent increases, the rate of
diffusion decreases. The molecules slow down
because they have a more difficult time getting
through the denser medium.
Solubility
• Nonpolar or lipid-soluble materials pass
through plasma membranes more easily than Transport Proteins: Carrier Proteins
polar materials, allowing a faster rate of
diffusion.
Surface Area and Thickness of the Plasma Membrane
• Increased surface area increases the rate of
diffusion, whereas a thicker membrane reduces
it.
Distance Travelled
• The greater the distance that a substance must
travel, the slower the rate of diffusion. The
reverse is true for shorter distance.
Osmosis
Facilitated Diffusion
• Movement of water through a semipermeable
• Also called facilitated transport
membrane
• Materials diffuse across the plasma membrane
• Transports only water
with the help of membrane proteins
• A special case of diffusion
• Polar molecules are repelled by the
hydrophobic parts of the cell membrane.
o Facilitated transport proteins shield these
materials from the repulsive force of the
membrane, allowing them to diffuse into the
cell.
• Transport proteins:
o Channel proteins
o Carrier proteins

Transport Proteins • Osmolarity - total concentration of solutes in a

solution
• Relationship of the osmolarity of a cell to the
osmolarity of the extracellular fluid that
contains the cell
o Hyperosmotic
o Hypoosmotic
Channel Proteins o Isoosmotic
• Transport molecules • Tonicity - ability of an extracellular solution to
• E.g. - aquaporins make water move into or out of a cell by
• Either open at all times or they are “gated” osmosis
o Hypertonic solution
o Hypotonic solution
o Isotonic solution
Tonicity: Hypertonic Solution
• A solution will be hypertonic to a cell if its
solute concentration is higher than that inside
the cell, and the solutes cannot cross the
membrane.
• If a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, there
will be a net flow of water out of the cell, and
the cell will lose volume.

Active Transport
Osmosis: Hypotonic Solution • Require the use of the cell's energy (ATP) to
• If the solute concentration outside the cell is move against the concentration gradient
lower than inside the cell, and the solutes • Collectively called pumps
cannot cross the membrane, then that solution • Primary active transport - directly uses an
is hypotonic to the cell. energy source to move molecules across a
• If a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, there membrane against their gradient
will be a net flow of water into the cell, and • Secondary active transport - uses an
the cell will gain volume. electrochemical gradient as an energy source
to move molecules; does not directly require
an energy source

Osmosis: Isotonic Solution

• If the solute concentration outside the cell is the
same as inside the cell, and the solutes cannot
cross the membrane, then that solution is
isotonic to the cell.
• If a cell is placed in an isotonic solution, there
will be no net flow of water into or out of the
cell, and the cell’s volume will remain stable.

Carrier Proteins for Active Transport

• Also called transporters
Uniporter
• Carries one specific ion or molecule
Symporter
 • Carries two different ions or molecules, both in
the same direction Endocytosis
Antiporter • endo = internal, cytosis = transport mechanism
• Carries two different ions or molecules, but in • Active transport that move particles into a cell
different directions by enclosing them in a vesicle made out of
plasma membrane

Primary Active Transport

• Also called direct active transport
• Functions with the active transport of sodium
and potassium allows secondary active Phagocytosis
transport to occur. • "Cell eating"
Sodium-Potassium Pump • Large particles, such as cells or cellular debris,
are transported into the cell
Pinocytosis
• "Cell drinking"
• A cell takes in small amounts of extracellular
fluid
Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis
• Receptor proteins on the cell surface are used
to capture a specific target molecule

Secondary Active Transport

• Also called indirect active transport or co-
transport
• Brings sodium ions, and possibly other
compounds, into the cell

Exocytosis
• exo = external, cytosis = transport mechanism
• Materials are transported from the inside to the
outside of the cell

Bulk Transport
• Large substances (or bulk amounts of smaller
substances) enter the cell without crossing the
membrane.
• Enclosing the substances to be transported in
their own small globes of membrane
• Modes:
o Endocytosis
▪ Phagocytosis
▪ Pinocytosis
▪ Receptor-mediated endocytosis
o Exocytosis