Methods used to Transport the Substance across the Plasma Membrane into Cytoplasm of

a Cell!
Most cell membranes can enclose- materials in vesicles and bring the substances into the cell in
this way or package materials for discharge from the cell in a reverse process. The process is
called endocytosis when materials are brought in and endocytosis when vesicle discharge takes
place. Endocytosis has features that are analogous to active transport.
For example, substances enter along an uphill concentration gradient and energy is required to
support the process. Endocytosis will stop if poisons that stop energy production in the cell are
added, and the process can be stimulated by the addition of ATP to cells in suspension.
According to the nature of intake of food or foreign substances, the endocytosis may be
classified into following types:
(i) Phagocytosis:
In some cases, cells may ingest rather larger, solid particles through plasma membrane. This
activity is called phagocytosis (Gx. Phagein=to eat; kytos=cell). It is found in large number of
protozoans and among certain cells of the metazoans. Among protozoans, phagocytosis is
intimately associated with amoeboid movement and is the only means for obtaining nutrition.
Among metazoans it is generally a means of defense than serving the cell nutrition. This permits
the ingestion of bodies which are foreign to the organisms like bacteria, dust particles and
various colloids. Among mammals this property is found very highly developed in the granular
leucocytes.
The particles become absorbed at the surface of membrane and later on they are taken into the
cytoplasm by infolding of the plasma membrane which soon piched off forming vesicles
consisting of the particle enveloped by a membrane. The vesicle so formed may then fuse and
assume various sizes, or they may fragment.
Is the contact of transportant enough to stimulate the sequence of events culminating in the
formation of vesicle? Certainly not whatever information available clearly indicates that the
organism or substance to be phagocytized must be cationic in nature.
There are, however, cases when the transportant is not cationic in nature (for instance eating of
bacterium by W.B.C.). In such cases, it has been observed that the transportant first become
coated by a phagocytosis-promoting substance (Menkin, 1956). The substance is called opsonin,
which is cationic in charge.
Kinds of phagocytosis:
According to the physical and chemical nature of foreign substance following types of
phagocytosis has been recognised;
(a) Ultraphagocytosis or colioidopexy:
The process in which plasma membrane ingests smaller colloidal partials is known as colioido-
pexy or ultraphagocytosis, e.g. leucocytes and the macrophagic cells of mammals.
(b) Chromopexy:
When the cell ingests colloidal chromogen particles phagocytotically the process is known as
chromopexy, e.g., some mesoblastic cells.
(ii) Pinocytosis:
When the ingestion of fluid material in bulk takes place by the cell through the plasma
membrane, the process is known as pinocytosis (Gr. pinein=to drink). The process of pinocytosis
was first of all observed by Edward in a Amoeba and by Lewis (1931) in the cultured cells.

In the process of pinocytosis, the particle free globules of fluid are surrounded and ultimately
engulfed by the clasping folds of the cytoplasm. The plasma membrane forms membranous
vacuoles around the fluid globules. Such membrane bound vacuoles are called pinosomes
(Lewis, 1931).
The pinosomes, later on, are transported to the interior of the cell where they are fused with the
secretory granules or lysosomes. In the food vacuoles the digestion of food substances takes
place and the digested food is diffused to the surrounding cytoplasm. The pinocytosis can be
observed ordinarily in the cells by light microscopy.
(iii) Micro pinocytosis:
Electron microscopic observation has been made on the pinocytotic process at sub-cellular or
sub-microscopic level in the cells. The pinocytosis which occurs at sub-microscopic level is
known as micro pinocytosis. In the process of micro pinocytosis, the plasma membrane
invaginates to form small vesicles of 650 A diameter.
These vesicles have openings on both outer and inner surfaces which suggest the possible
transportation of fluids through these vesicles to the cell. The micro pinocytosis has been
observed in endothetial cells, Schwann and satellite cells of nerve ganglion, macrophages,
muscle cells and reticular cells etc.
(iv) Emeiocytosis or Exocytosis or Cell Vomiting:
The process of exudating the secretary products to outside the cell cytoplasm are known as
emeiocytosis. In cells of pancreas, the vacuoles containing enzymes move from the interior of
the cytoplasm towards the surface. Here they fuse with plasma membrane and discharge their
contents to the exterior.
(v) Cytopemphis:
In this process, a material enters the cell by endocytosis and then it comes out of the cell by
exocytose without any change. Water molecules move through the epithelial cell by this method.