Transcript diffusion

A Closer Look at
Membranes
Chapter 6
Cell Membrane
Main Functions
 Controls Transport
in & out of the Cell
 Cell membrane is
selectivelypermeable, meaning
it is a barrier to some,
but not all molecules
Plasma Membrane Composition
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Phospholipid bilayers with the hydrophobic
regions facing each other and the hydrophilic
regions facing out.
Fluid Mosaic Model
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The theory by which the properties of the
plasma membrane are explained
Mosaic: mixture of phospholipids, sterols
(cholesterol), proteins, glycoproteins
Fluid: the components are not fixed in place
and may move or shift but are kept ordered
due to hydrophobic forces
Fluid Mosaic Model
Membrane proteins
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Transport: move molecules or ions from one side of
the membrane to the other.
Receptors: bind substances secreted by other cells
which trigger changes in the receiving cell.
Anchors proteins: help cells stick to each other
and stay positioned; found in cell junctions
Membrane Proteins
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Many of the proteins of the membrane are
glycoproteins, which contain sugar groups
Movement Across the
Membrane
Passive Transport:
Diffusion
Osmosis
Facilitated Diffusion
 Active transport
 Vesicular Transport
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Passive transport
Movement of substances from high
concentration to low concentration
(diffusion)
 Movement down concentration gradient
 Requires no energy
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Diffusion
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The net movement of a substance from an area of
high concentration to an area of low concentration.
Substances move down their concentration gradient
H2O, CO2, & O2 are among the few molecules that
can pass across a cell membrane by diffusion
Osmosis
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Diffusion of H2O across a semi-permeable
membrane
Type of Passive transport – Requires No Energy
As the concentration of solute increases the
concentration of solvent (H2O) decreases.
Compared to an equal volume of water, the
solute/H2O mixture has less H2O molecules as that
space is taken up by the solute.
Osmosis
Tonicity
Refers to the relative solute concentrations
of two fluids separated by a semipermeable membrane.
 The one with fewer solutes is hypotonic
 The one with more solute is hypertonic
 Isotonic refers to equal solute
concentrations.
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Tonicity in Animal vs. Plant Cells
Facilitated Diffusion
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Diffusion “with help” – from high conc. to low
conc.
Requires no energy – form of passive transport
Molecules that are too big or too charged to
cross membrane, can cross membrane via
protein channels (transport proteins)
Active transport
Movement of substances from low
concetration to high concentration
 Requires energy to pump substances
against concentration gradient
 Example: the Sodium/Potassium Pump:
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Vesicle Transport
Vesicles allow for transportation of large
molecules or large numbers of molecules
 Exocytosis: vesicle moves to the cell
surface and fuses with the plasma
membrane spilling its contents out of the
cell
 Endocytosis: a vesicle forms as an
indentation on the plasma membrane and
engulfs a substance
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Vesicle Transport
Endocytosis
Exocytosis
Endocytosis
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Phagocytosis
 cell
engulfs a large piece of food or even
another cell (“cell eating”)
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Pinocytosis
 cell
takes up small amounts of the
surrounding extracellular fluid (“cell drinking”)
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Receptor Mediated endocytosis
 Cells
forms a coated vesicle only when
specific molecules bind to cell surface
receptors
Endocytosis
Phagocytosis (White Blood Cell)