Chapter 5

Cellular Transport

I. General information about the plasma membrane:

A. The plasma membrane is a double layer of fats with protein

between (phospholipids).

B. Cell membrane is:

1. Permeable: when certain materials can pass in and out of

the cell membrane.

2. Impermeable: what materials cannot pass in and out of the

cell membrane.

3. Selectively (semi) permeable: when only certain

substances are allowed to pass in and out of cell
membrane.

II.Two methods of exchange of materials

A. Diffusion: movement of materials from a region of high

concentration to lower concentration.

1. One of the major mechanisms of molecular transport in

cells.

2. Concentration gradient: molecules from highest to lowest

in number.

3. Equilibrium: when the concentration of molecules of a

substance are the same throughout.

B. Osmosis: movement of water from a region of higher

concentration to lower concentration.

III.Three types of osmotic movement

A. Isotonic: concentration of substances is equal inside and

outside.

B. Hypotonic solution (animals)

1. Concentration of solutes outside cell is lower than

inside the cell.
 2. Concentration of H2O is higher outside than inside the
cell.

3. H2O moves into the cell = cell swells.

4. Turgor pressure: pressure that builds up in a plant cell

as a result of osmosis in a hypotonic solution.

a. Pressure forces cytoplasm and cell membrane against

the cell wall.

b. This causes stiffness and rigidity in plants.

C. Hypertonic solution (animals)

1. Concentration of solutes outside cell is greater than

inside the cell.

2. H2O moves out → cell shrivels up and loses shape.

3. In plants → loss of turgor pressure and is called

plasmolysis.
IV.How cells deal with osmosis
A. Land animals have NO difficulty maintaining it.
B. Freshwater, unicellular organisms maintain a balance by
using a contractile vacuole to remove excess H2O.
V. Passive Transport: Requires NO energy for materials to pass
through.
A. Osmosis – (water)
B. Diffusion – (anything other than water)
C. Facilitated diffusion: special protein molecules speed up
carrying molecules across the cell membrane.
D. 1st type:
1. Carrying molecules (special proteins in cell membrane.)
2. Go from high to low.
3. Carrier proteins can change shape to maintain the
substance
a. Example: glucose.
 E. 2nd type:
1. Ion channels: channels that allow ions to pass through.
2. High to low.
VI.Active Transport
A. Energy IS needed to move substances.
1. Goes AGAINST concentration gradient.
2. Goes low to high.
B. Uses carrier proteins called cell membrane pumps.
1. Carrier protein changes shape to fit substance and goes
back to original shape.
2. Very specific
3. An example: sodium potassium pump for: kidney.
a. Kidney: for every three Na+ ions outside the cell, two
K+ go inside.
b. Electrical impulses along nerve cells: electrical
gradient where outside the cell is + charged and
inside is – charged.
VII.Bulk Transport; Example: too large.
A. Endocytosis
1. To take in large particles into the cell can’t pass
through membrane.
2. Two kinds:
a. Pinocytosis: movement of liquids with small solutes
and particles into the cell.
b. Phagocytosis: large solid objects are taken into the
cell.
3. Exocytosis: the release of large molecules from the cell