Membranes

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SUBSTANCES MOVING ACROSS CELL MEMBRANES

Active Transport:
Use ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
Sodium potassium protein pump: Uses ATP to pump the solute against its concentration
gradient.
Vesicular Transport/cytosis
Vesicles transport material outside of cell:
EXOCYTOSIS
Vesicles take in material from outside of the cell:
ENDOCYTOSIS
Receptor-mediated-endocytosis
: Specific. Triggered by the binding of
certain external molecules to specific receptor proteins built into the
plasma membrane. Human liver cells use this to take up cholesterol cells
from the blood.
Phagocytosis
: Devouring cell action! Cell engulfs a particle and packages it
within a food vacuole.
Pinocytosis
: Drinking action Cell gulps droplet of tiny fluid by forming
vesicles.

Passive Transport:
Doesnt require energy
Moving across the concentration gradient- an area where the substances density
changes. Moving from more concentration to less concentration.
Ex: Facilitated Diffusion- for substances that are not spontaneously transported. Transport
proteins act as selective corridors.
Things like oxygen and water use this to get into the cell
Do this by
diffusion
. As much space as possible. Less crowded!
When water diffuses across a membrane, its called
osmosis.
Does this with
solutions, too.
Solution concentration higher inside of cell: HYPERTONIC
Solution concentration lower inside of cell: HYPOTONIC
Concentration is the same on both sides: ISOTONIC. Water seeks this!
MOVING ACROSS CONCENTRATION GRADIENT:when water tries
to become isotonic.
Gains water at same rate as it loses water.
If a cell came into contact with a hypotonic solution (lower solute
concentration than the cell) the cell would gain water, swell and
maybe even burst. Conversely, a hypertonic solution would cause
the cell to shrivel up.
ANIMAL CELLS regulate and balance water by
osmoregulation
.
PLANT CELLS get floppy if immersed in an isotonic solution, and will
wilt. The healthiest plant cell is in a hypotonic environment (net
inflow of water), due to the cell wall it shows turgor (firmness). As a
cell wall loses water, the plasma membrane pulls away from the cell
wall. This kills the plant, and is called
plasmolysis
. :(

Cell Signaling and Membranes


-Receptor protein in the plasma membrane receives a stimulus from the outside environment or from
a signaling molecule.
-Triggers a chain reaction (function in transduction- passing the signal along) The proteins and other
molecules of this
signal transduction pathway
relay the signal and convert it to chemical forms that

can function within the cell.

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