Topic 2 Membrane transport mechanisms: free diffusion, osmosis, facillitated

diffusion, primary and secondary active transport, endo-exocytosis.

There are 4 primary ways that water and other molecules can cross into or out of cells.
The transport mechanism is divided into passive and active transport:
a. Passive transport: does not involve chemical energy. 4 main kinds of passive
transport: diffusion, facilitated diffusion, filtration and osmosis.
b. Active transport: requires the use of chemical energy to move molecules
"uphill" against a gradient - electrical or concentration gradient (collectively
termed as electrochemical gradient). Generally carried out by transport
proteins found in membrane. There are primary and secondary active
transports and also larger molecules such as starch can go across the cell
membrane by processes known as endocytosis and exocytosis.
Passive transport:
Free diffusion - net movement of material from an area of high concentration
to an area with lower concentration. 2 types:
1. Non-channel mediated lipids, gases (CO2, O2), water.
2. Channel mediated ions, charged molecules.
Channels can be always opened and not specific such as pores or they
can be selective to specific molecule and are not
always opened (have gates), these can be chemical,
voltage or mechanical gated channgels.
Osmosis - movement of water molecules across a
semipermeable membrane from a region of low solute
potential to an area of high solute potential. Done by
diffusing or via aquaporins.

Facillitated diffusion - mediated by a carrier. rate of

diffusion is a function of concentration gradient, amount of carrier protein,
rate of associati/dissociati for nutrient and transporter. Examples -glucose,
amino-acids.

Active transport:
Primary active transport Uses 3Na+/2K+ ATPase.
Energy is directed coupled to movement. Another example:
Ca+ pump

Secondary active transport energy is derived from

energy stored in the form of concentration differences in a
second solute which was created by primary active
transport. Can be uniporter, symporter or antiporter.
Examples: Na+/glucose symport; Na/Ca ; HCO3/Cl ; Na/H

c. Endocytosis process whereby cells absorb molecules

from the outside by engulfing it with their cell
membrane. Types: phagocytosis and pinocytosis
d. Exocytosis - process by which a cell releases large
biomolecules through its membrane. Also have a role in
signalling and regulatory functions.
Examples:
Substances

Type of Transport

Examples

Na+

Facilitated Diffusion

Na+ Channel

Na+

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-K+-2Cl- Symporter, Na+-H+ Antiporter, Na+-Glucose Symporter, Na+-Amino Acid

Symporter, Na+-Pi Symporter, Na+-Lactate Symporter, Na+-Cl- Symporter.

Na+

Active Transport

Na+-K+ -ATPase

K+

Facilitated Diffusion

K+ Channel

K+

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-K+-2Cl- Symporter.

K+

Active Transport

Na+-K+ -ATPase, H+-K+ -ATPase

H+

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-H+ Antiporter

H+

Active Transport

H+-K+ -ATPase

Nutrients Glucose,
Amino Acids,
Vitamins, etc.

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-Nutrient Symporter

Cations Mg2+,
Ca2+, etc.

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-Cation Symporter

Anions Cl-, HCO3-,

etc.

Secondary Active Transport

Na+-Cl- Symporter, Na+-HCO3- Symporter

Urea

Facilitated Diffusion Solvent

Drag

Small Proteins

Active Transport - Endocytosis

Channel Protein

Engulfed by epithelial cells of the PT.

Osmotic pressure The pressure required to prevent the passage of water

through a semi-permeable membrane from a region of low concentration of
solutes to one of higher concentration, by osmosis.
Hydrostatic pressure - Hydrostatic pressure refers to the pressure that any fluid
in a confined space exerts.
Mole is the SI base unit that measures an amount of substance. One mole = Avogadro's number (approximately
6.0221023) entities.
o
Molarity= the number of moles of a given substance per litre of solution
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Osmole is a non-SI unit of measurement that defines the number of moles or amount of substance that contribute to a
solution's osmotic pressure
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Osmolarity = osmoles of solute per litre of solution
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Osmolality = osmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent
o
Osmolarity of body fluids = 300 mOsm.
Osmosis is a colligative property of solutions - depend on the concentration of solute particles rather than their (solute)
individual properties
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