MOVEMENT OF SUBSTANCES ACROSS THE

PLASMA MEMBRANE
 Subtopics

Movement of Substances
Across the Plasma Membrane
03
Understanding the Movement
of Substances Across the
Plasma Membrane in Everyday

01 Life

Appreciating the
Movement of Substances
Across the Plasma
02 Membrane

2
 Learning Objective
To explain the
To describe the permeability necessity for
To state the substances movement of
of the plasma membrane
required by living cells substances
across the
plasma
membrane
To state the
substances that
have to be
eliminated from To describe the
cell structure of
the plasma
membrane

3
NECESSITY FOR MOVEMENT OF
SUBSTANCES ACROSS THE PLASMA
MEMBRANE
maintain an ion
concentration gradient
provide nutrients for
required for nerve &
metabolism & growth muscle cell activities
eliminate toxic
supply oxygen for
respiration To……… waste products
such as urea &
regulate solute concentration & carbon dioxide
suitable pH for maintaining a secrete useful substances,
stable internal environment for for example, digestive
optimal
4 enzymatic activities enzymes & hormones
SUBSTANCES CAN MOVE INTO OR OUT OF A CELL
BY :
Osmosis
Simple
diffusion

PASSIVE ACTIVE
TRANSPORT TRANSPORT

Facilitated
diffusion
5
 Movement of substances across the
plasma membrane would depend on

The difference in
concentration
between the cell &
extracellular
fluiD

Selectivity of the
partially permeable
membrane
 All cells are covered by a thin plasma membrane

It separates the cell contents from the surrounding

1972, S.J. Singer & G.L. Nicolson proposed the fluid-mosaic model of plasma membrane

The plasma membrane is dynamic & fluid. The phospholipid molecules can move thus
giving the membrane its fluidity & flexibility

The proteins are scattered in the membrane giving it a mosaic appearance

 The membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer (2 molecules thick)

The polar hydrophilic heads – outer layer

The non-polar hydrophobic hydrocarbon fatty
face outwards, chemically attracted to the
acid tails – face inwards, away from water
watery surrounding

There are proteins on the outer & inner surfaces of the plasma membrane

Some proteins penetrate partially through the membrane, others penetrate completely

The phospholipid bilayer is permeable to diffusion of small uncharged molecules such as

O2 & CO
 Channel / 2 TYPES OF Some
pore carrier
proteins TRANSPORT proteins
have pore to
PROTEIN have binding sites
facilitate diffusion that bind to specific
of particular ions / molecules such as
molecules across glucose @ amino
the PM acids  alter their
shape to facilitate the
diffusion of solutes
Other
carrier
proteins
16

function in active transport  an energized carrier protein actively

pumps the solute across the cell membrane against the
concentration gradient.
Cholesterol molecules
stabilise the structure of
PLASMA MEMBRANE
MECHANISM OF MOVEMENT OF SUBSTANCES ACROSS THE PLASMA
MEMBRANE

selectively permeable to small not allow substances to diffuse through it

molecules such as water &
glucose

Does not permit large semipermeable

molecule to move
through it
egg membrane, MECHANISM impermeable
plasma membrane of
living cells &
membrane
cellaphone
membrane of the
Visking tubing permeable
membrane Example : the impermeable polythene membrane
permeable to the many
solvent (water) & solute
19
molecules
Example : cellulose cell wall of plant cell
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
To explain the
movement of
substances across the To explain the process of
plasma membrane passive transport in living
through the process of organisms using
passive transport examples

To explain the
movement of water
04
molecules across the
plasma membrane by
osmosis 03
To explain the movement of substances across the
20 plasma membrane through the process of active
transport
The movement of particles (molecules/ions) within a gas or
liquid across the plasma membrane from a region of higher
concentration to a region of lower concentration & does not
require expenditure of energy from ATP.
The substances move down their concentration gradient
through different ways :
 Phospholipid bilayer
 Pore protein/ channel protein
 Carrier protein
 SIMPLE FACILITATED
DIFFUSION DIFFUSION

OSMOSIS
 SIMPLE DIFFUSION
The net movement of molecules / ions from a
region of higher concentration to a region of The bigger the concentration gradient the
lower concentration until an equilibrium is faster the rate of diffusion
reached

These substances will diffuse down the

concentration gradient if there is a
Substances concentration gradient. (until an equilibrium is
reached)

Lipid-soluble Examples : gaseous exchange between the

Small non-polar substances,eg: alveolus & the blood capillaries, blood
molecules ,eg: vitamins ADEK, Water
O2 & CO2 steroids & molecules capillaries & body cells
26 alcohols
 OSMOSIS

A special type of diffusion

The diffusion of water molecules (solvent)
from a region of higher water concentration
(diluted solution) to a region of lower water OSMOSIS
concentration (concentrated solution)
Absorption of water from
through a semi-permeable membrane until an
Examples soil solution by plant root
equilibrium is reached
hairs

Reabsorption of water by kidney

tubules
29
 FACILITATED DIFFUSION
THE MOVEMENT OF MOLECULES /
IONS DOWN THEIR CONCENTRATION THE RATE OF FACILITATED DIFFUSION
GRADIENT ASSISTED BY TRANSPORT DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF
PROTEINS (CHANNEL PROTEIN / PORE TRANSPORT PROTEIN MOLECULES IN
PROTEIN) ACROSS THE PLASMA THE MEMBRANE & HOW FAST THEY
MEMBRANE WITHOUT USING CAN MOVE THEIR SPECIFIC SOLUTE
ENERGY

THE TRANSPORT PROTEINS ONLY ALLOWS SMALL CHARGED

FACILITATE & INCREASE THE RATE OF MOLECULES SUCH AS MINERAL IONS
DIFFUSION ACROSS THE PLASMA TO PASS THROUGH THE PORE
MEMBRANE PROTEIN

CARRIER PROTEIN : ALLOWS LARGER

UNCHARGED POLAR MOLECULES –
NOT REQUIRE ENERGY
GLUCOSE & AMINO ACIDS TO CROSS
THE MEMBRANE
31
 THE MECHANISM
The solute binds
The solute to the carrier
moves to the
binding site of 01 protein at the
binding site &
the specific
carrier protein 02 triggers the
carrier protein to
change its shape
The carrier
The carrier
protein returns 04 protein changes
its shape &
back to its
original shape 03 moves the
solute across
the membrane
33
FACILITATED DIFFUSION

The solutes can be transported by carrier proteins

in either direction but the net movement is always
down the concentration gradient

Examples : the transportation of glucose, amino

acids & mineral ions across the membrane of the
vilus at the ileum & body cells
 ACTIVE TRANSPORT
The movement of substances
across the plasma membrane
from a region of low
concentration to a region of
high concentration (against
the concentration gradient)
by using metabolic energy
The substances move
across a membrane
against the concentration
gradient, using metabolic
energy
Perform by a specific
protein embedded in the
plasma membrane
35
Require energy (ATP) to change
the shape of the protein such
that the substance can be
pumped across the membrane
Example : absorption of
potassium ions from pond water
by algae Nitella sp. against a
concentration gradient, the
intake of mineral ions by the
plant root hairs, Na+/ K+ protein
pumps in the plasma membrane
of neurons transport Na+ & K+
against their concentration
gradients
SODIUM-POTASSIUM PUMP
 PASSIVE TRANSPORT SIMILARITIES ACTIVE TRANSPORT

o Transport of substances across the plasma membrane

o Need a difference of concentration gradient between extracellular environment & the cell

DIFFERENCES

Follow Concentration gradient Against

Does not expend energy Cellular energy Need to expend energy

Until an equilibrium is reached Outcome of the process Depends on the cells requirement (no
need to reach an equilibrium)

Non-living & living organisms Occurs in Living organisms only

Simple diffusion, osmosis, facilitated Name of process Active transport

diffusion