University of Balamand September 7, 2010

Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences

Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Membrane Transport

Processes by Which
Particles Move Across
Cell Membranes

Osmosis: Definition

ƒ The flow of water across a semipermeable

membrane from a compartment in which the solute
concentration is lower to one in which the solute
concentration is greater

‰ A semipermeable membrane is defined as a

membrane permeable to water but impermeable to
solutes

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Osmosis

ƒ The left chamber contains a

solution
ƒ The right chamber contains
pure water
ƒ Water will flow by osmosis
from the pure water chamber
into the solution

Schematic Representation of the Definition

of Osmotic Pressure of a Solution
ƒ The osmotic pressure of a
solution can be obtained by
determining the pressure
that must be applied to a
solution to prevent water
from entering it across an
ideal semipermeable
permeable
¾ When the hydrostatic
pressure applied to the
solution in chamber A is
equal to the osmotic
pressure of that solution,
there will be no net water
flow across the
membrane

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Colligative Properties of a Solution

ƒ Properties of a solution that depend on the

concentration of the solute present rather than
on its chemical nature
ƒ Colligative properties of a solution:
¾ vapor pressure
¾ freezing point
¾ boiling point
¾ osmotic pressure

Computing the Osmotic Pressure of a

Solution

1. Van’t Hoff’s Law for calculation of osmotic pressure

2. Use of freezing point depression for estimation of
osmotic pressure

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Illustration of Osmotic Pressure

ƒ The concentration of water in the left
compartment is less than in the right
compartment
¾ There is a concentration gradient
for water
¾ Water moves in the tube from right to
left
ƒ Water continues to move from the region
of high water concentration to the
region of low water concentration
UNTIL the difference in height between
the 2 columns of water is 26 cm
ƒ At this height, a column of water exerts a
hydrostatic pressure (P) that is equal to
the difference between the osmotic
pressures (π ) of the 2 solutions
Phydrostatic = πL- πR

Van’t Hoff’s Law

π = RT(φ i c)
¾ π Osmotic pressure
¾R Ideal gas constant
¾T Absolute temperature
¾φ Osmotic coefficient
¾ i Number of particles formed by dissociation
of a solute molecule
¾c Molar concentration of a solute (moles of
solute/liter of solution)

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

The Osmotic Coefficient (φ)

ƒ φ depends on the:
¾nature of the solute
¾concentration of the solute
ƒ Values of φ may be
¾greater than 1
¾less than 1
ƒ φ values can be obtained from handbooks that
list values of φ for different substances as
functions of concentration

Osmotic Coefficients of Certain Solutes of

Physiological Interest

‰ φ values for solutes of physiological importance apply to

concentrations of these solutes in the extracellular fluids of
mammals

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

The Osmotic Pressure of a Solution

ƒ The osmotic pressure of a solution depends on the

number of particles in solution (i)
¾ Every solute particle in solution contributes to the
osmotic pressure
¾ The degree of ionization of a solute must be taken
into account when calculating osmotic pressure

The Osmotic Pressure of a Solution

π = RT(φ i c)
ƒ The osmotic pressure of a solution is often referred
to as osmolarity
ƒ (φic) can be regarded as the osmotically effective
concentration of the solution
¾ (φic) is called the osmolarity of the solution
¾ (φic) is expressed in osmoles/liter
‰ Sometimes, a less precise estimate of osmotic
pressure is computed assuming that φ is equal
to 1

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Sample Calculations
1. What is the 1. π = RT(φ i c)
osmotic pressure π = 22.4 L.atm/mole x 0.93 x 2
at 0oC of a 154mM x 0.154 mole/L = 6.42 atm
NaCl solution? Use
φ=0.93 for NaCl

2. What is the 2. Osmolarity = (φ i c)

osmolarity of this
solution? (φ i c)= 0.93 x 2 x 0.154
mole/L
(φ i c)= 0.286 osmole/L = 286
mOsmole/L

Sample Calculation

ƒ Sometimes, a less precise estimate of osmotic pressure

is computed assuming that φ is equal to 1
‰ 1 mole of NaCl is dissolved in 1 liter of solution.
What is the osmotic pressure of the solution?
¾ The salt will dissociate into 1 mole of Na+ and
1mole of Cl-
¾ The osmotic pressure of the solution will be 2
osmoles/L:
1 osmole/L contributed by Na+
1 osmole/L contributed by Cl-

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Depression of Freezing Point of Water by Solute

φic = ∆Tf /1.86

ƒ φic osmolarity of solution

ƒ ∆Tf freezing point depression in 0C

‰A 1 osmolar solution has an osmotic pressure of

22.4 atm at 00C and freezes at –1.860C

Isosmotic / Hypoosmotic/ Hyperosmotic

Solutions
ƒ Solutions A and C are
isosmotic
ƒ Solutions A and C are
hypoosmotic with respect
to solution B
ƒ Solution B is hyperosmotic
with respect to solutions A
and C

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Water Permeability of a Cell

ƒ Biological membranes are very
permeable to water
ƒ A change in solute
concentration will cause water to
move and abolish any difference
in osmotic pressure between 2
compartments
¾ As a result, athough the
concentrations and types of
substances in the intracellular
and extracellular
compartments DIFFER
significantly, the osmolarity of
these compartments is the
same

Tonicity of a Solution
ƒ Determined by the response of a cell when it is placed
in the solution
ƒ Consider the response of a red blood cell when it is
placed in 3 different types of solutions
‰ RBCs are convenient to use because they can be
isolated and observed
¾ If a RBC swells and stays swollen or (bursts) when
placed in a particular solution, that solution is said to
be hypotonic
¾ If a RBC shrinks and stays shrunken when placed in a
particular solution, that solution is said to be
hypertonic
¾ If the volume of a RBC stays the same when added to
a particular solution, that solution is said to be
isotonic

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Osmotic Behavior of RBCs

ƒ A RBC is placed in a solution containing 0.25M sucrose, a solution

that is isosmotic with the intracellular milieu of the RBC
¾ Sucrose cannot penetrate the cell membrane (impermeant
solute)
¾ Most of the solutes found within the RBC are also
membrane impermeant
ƒ The RBC will:
‰ Shrink?

‰ Swell?

‰ Maintain a constant volume?

ƒ The RBC is placed in a solution that is:

‰ Hypertonic?

‰ Hypotonic?

‰ Isotonic?

Osmotic Behavior of RBCs

ƒ A RBC is placed in a solution containing 0.25M urea, a solution that

is isosmotic with the intracellular milieu of the RBC.
¾ Urea is a permeant solute
¾ Typically, there is very little urea inside the RBC
¾ Most of the solutes found within the RBC are membrane
impermeant
ƒ The RBC will:
‰ Shrink?

‰ Swell?

‰ Maintain a constant volume?

ƒ The RBC is placed in a solution that is:

‰ Hypertonic?

‰ Hypotonic?

‰ Isotonic?

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Osmotic Behavior of RBCs

ƒ A RBC is placed in a solution containing 0.5M sucrose, a solution
that is hyperosmotic with the intracellular milieu of the RBC
¾ Sucrose cannot penetrate the cell membrane (impermeant
solute)
¾ Most of the solutes found within the RBC are also
membrane impermeant
ƒ The RBC will:
‰ Shrink?

‰ Swell?

‰ Maintain a constant volume?

ƒ The RBC is placed in a solution that is:

‰ Hypertonic?

‰ Hypotonic?

‰ Isotonic?

Clinical Correlation
ƒ Isotonic NaCl solution, also known as isotonic saline, is
used for intravenous rehydration or for administration of
drugs to patients

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Osmotic Effects of Solutes

Magnitude of Osmotic
Flows

Rate of Osmotic Flow Caused by Permeating

Solutes

ƒ When a difference of hydrostatic pressure (∆P) causes

water to flow across a membrane, the rate of water flow
(Vw) is:
Vw = L ∆P

ƒ L is a constant of proportionality, called the hydraulic

conductivity

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Rate of Osmotic Flow Caused by Impermeant

Solutes

Vw = L ∆π
Vw Rate of water flow
L Hydraulic conductivity
∆π Osmotic pressure difference of the
solutions on the 2 sides of the
membrane

Reflection Coefficients

ƒ The smaller the solute molecule, the greater is the

permeability of the membrane to that solute, and the
smaller is the osmotic water flow it causes
ƒ The larger the solute molecule, the more impermeable
the membrane is to that solute, and the greater the
osmotic water flow it causes
¾ Vw = L ∆π can be rewritten to take solute
permeability into account by including σ, the
reflection coefficient
¾ This is expressed by Vw = σ L ∆π

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Reflection Coefficients

Vw = σ L ∆π
ƒ σ is the reflection coefficient
ƒ σ is a dimensionless number that ranges from 1 for
completely impermeant solutes to 0 for extremely
permeant solutes.
ƒ Value of σ is a property of a particular solute and a
particular membrane

Osmotic Water Flow Across a Porous Dialysis Membrane

Induced by Solutes of Different Molecular Size

‰ Flow is expressed as microliter/min caused by a 1M-concentration

difference of solute across the membrane
‰ The solutions have identical freezing points so the total osmotic pressures
are the same

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Question
ƒ Two compartments of equal volume are
separated by a solid partition containing a
hole with an area of 2 cm². A stopper
initially occludes the hole. The
compartments have rigid walls and are
totally filled with a solution containing
CaCl2 and sucrose in the concentrations
shown in the figure. Simple diffusion is the
only process by which Ca2+ and Cl- cross
the membrane.
¾ Calculate the osmotic pressure (in
osmoles) of the solution (either in #1 or
#2) that is hypoosmotic with respect
to the solution on the other side of the
membrane before the stopper is
removed from the hole in the partition.

Answer
ƒ The solution with the
lower osmolarity, the
HYPOOSMOTIC
solution, will be in
compartment #2
¾ There are fewer
particles on this
side of the
membrane

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page
University of Balamand September 7, 2010
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Dr. M. Khachab
GPHY 402

Reference
ƒ Chapter 4: Transport of Ions and Molecules Through the
Cell Membrane in Textbook of Medical Physiology by
Guyton and Hall

ƒ Chapter 11: Transport of Small Molecules and Electrical

Properties of the Cell Membrane in Cell by Alberts,
Johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts and Walter

Membrane Transport
Osmosis
Page