Biol 309

Multiple Choice

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Membrane Transport

1. A membrane transport protein is said to be a "carrier" protein if: A. it forms an open pore through which a molecule can diffuse. B. an electrochemical gradient is necessary for transport to occur. C. it only allows transport "down" a concentration gradient. D. molecules are transported in opposite directions across the membrane. E. it binds to the molecule and changes shape during transport. 2. In a living neuron, an action potential is triggered when: A. an electrode raises the potential above the threshold level. B. potassium ions flow into the dendrite. C. voltage-gated Ca - channels open in the post-synaptic membrane. D. voltage-gated K - channels close along the axon. E. ligand-gated Na - channels open in the post-synaptic membrane. 3. A patch-clamp device is used to: A. measure the strength of an electrochemical gradient. B. study the properties of individual neurotransmitters. C. infuse different kinds of ions into of an axon. D. study the properties of individual membrane channels. E. None of the above answers are correct. 4. A passive membrane transport protein: A. will require a direct source of energy for the transport to occur. B. can only transport a molecule down a gradient. C. is most likely to involve a carrier type transport mechanism. D. can move a molecule up a gradient if a membrane potential exists. 5. Suppose you were to treat a normal mammalian cell with a substance that inhibits the Na-K ATPase. Would be the most immediate effect upon the cell? A. There would be no change at all. B. The cells osmotic balance were be disrupted, and the cell would begin to swell. C. The cell membrane potential would immediately drop to zero. D. The cell would very quickly run out of ATP. E. The cell could not create an action potential. 6. Voltage-gated Na+ Channels: A. remain open until the membrane potential reaches the threshold value. B. first transport NA+ into the cell, and then change the direction of transport. C. spontaneously become inactivated a few microseconds after they open. D. close, but remain active when an action potential is achieved.

Biol 309

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Membrane Transport Page 1

71. Which of the following statements best describes the operating principle of a voltage-clamp device? A. It changes the levels of ions inside the cell and then measures the change in membrane potential. B. It measures the types of ions that flow through single membrane channels. C. It measures the speed at which neurotransmitters are released. D. It sets a voltage across the membrane and measures the resultant ion flow. 8. For a typical animal cell, the membrane potential is determined by the equilibrium distribution of K+ ions across the cell membrane. Free movement of K+ across the membrane occurs through: A. the voltage gated K-channel C. the Na-K pump B. the K+ leak channel D. free diffusion 9. Transport across a membrane is said to be coupled when A. two molecules are transported across the membrane in the same direction. B. membrane transport is coupled to an energy source, such as ATP hydrolysis. C. transport of one ion down its gradient provides the energy to transport another molecule against its gradient. D. both the concentration gradient and membrane potential determine the rate of transport across the membrane. 10. Based upon the patch-clamp tracing shown here, which one of the following conclusions can be correctly stated? A. There are at least two ion channels present in the membrane. B. The direction of ion flow across the membrane reverses each time the channel opens. C. The channel must be abnormal because there is variation in the period it remains open. D. The channel present must be a ligand-gated ion channel. 11. A membrane transporter is said to be gated if it: A. requires the binding of ATP to open. B. allows molecules to pass in only one direction. C. participates in the formation of the membrane potential D. opens in response to a specific stimulus. 12. The membrane potential across the cell membrane is the result of: A. the difference in concentration of K+ and Na+ on either side of the membrane. B. more positively-charged ions outside and more negatively-charged ions inside. C. opening and closing of voltage-gated channels in the membrane. D. electrodes that generate different charges on either side of the membrane. 13. The electrical signal of the action potential is first converted to a chemical signal at which step? A. Influx of Ca2+ triggered by voltage-gated Ca2+ Channels. B. Binding of Ca2+ to receptors on synaptic vesicles. C. release of neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft. D. Binding of neurotransmitter to receptors on post-synaptic membrane.

Biol 309

Question Bank

Membrane Transport Page 2

True or false 1. The passive movement of any type of molecule across the cell membrane is called "osmosis." 2. In animals, Na+ concentration is higher outside of the cell than inside. 3. Transport of a charged molecule across a membrane is always influenced by its electrochemical gradient. 41. Active transport is necessary when substances must be moved down a gradient. 5. The principal "fixed ion" inside cells is Cl . 6. Membrane transport proteins principally transport macromolecules such as proteins and polysaccharides across the membrane. 7. In animal cells, the Na+K+ pump in the plasma membrane serves principally to regulate osmotic pressure in the cell. 8. Transport of any substances across the membrane requires an energy source. 9. In plants, the cell wall is the principally barrier to diffusion of molecules into and out of the cytosol. 10. Relatively small movements of ions across a membrane can create large changes in membrane potential. Matching 1. 1Match membrane transporter symmetry with the correct diagram to the right. ___ antiport ___ uniport ___ symport

2. Channel Property __ Voltage-gated Na channels A. opening converts membrane potential to a chemical signal __ Ligand-gated Na channels B. opening releases neurotransmitters into synaptic cleft. __ Voltage-gated K channels C. opening triggers an action potential in the post-synaptic membrane __ Voltage-gated Ca++ channels D. opening propagates action potential along axon E. opening restores the resting potential on an axon

Biol 309

Question Bank

Membrane Transport Page 3

Fill-in, etc 1. A membrane transport protein that displays ________________ symmetry will transport two different molecules across the membrane in the same direction; whereas, if the symmetry were __________________, the molecules would move in opposite directions. In either case, if the transport of one of the molecules against its gradient is powered by the movement of the other molecule down its gradient, this is an example ___________________________. 2. A membrane transport protein that creates an aqueous pore through which a molecules can freely move is an example of a _________________ type transporter, whereas if binding to and conformation change in the transport protein is required, it would be classified as a __________________ type transporter. 3. The __________________________ is created by a difference in charge across a membrane. When this is coupled to a difference in an ions concentration across the membrane a _________________________ is created. 4. Other than membrane transport proteins, what are 3 other ways by which substances can pass across a membrane. 1) ____________________________ 2) ____________________________ 3) ____________________________ 5. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator (CFTR), which transports Cl- ions down a gradient, is mutated in people who suffer from cystic fibrosis. Although opening of the CFTR is regulated by the binding of ATP, hydrolysis of ATP is not necessary for Cl- transport. For this transporter identify the: A. symmetry of transport: ______________________ B. mechanism of transport: ______________________ C. energy requirement: ______________________ D. The CFTR is an example of a gated transport protein. True / False 6. Membrane vesicles were suspended in solutions that contained different concentrations of a small molecule (A). After five minutes, the vesicles were separated from the solution and the amount of the molecule A in the vesicles was determined. The rate of movement into the vesicles was calculated for each solution. The same procedure was performed for a second molecule (B). The results are presented in this graph where V is the rate of movement into the vesicles and S is the concentration of each molecule in the solutions. Which one of the molecules shows a pattern expected for membrane protein-mediated transport? Explain.

Biol 309

Question Bank

Membrane Transport Page 4

7. This diagram shows the action of the lactose pump of bacterial cells. Identify the: A) mechanism of transport: ___________________ B) symmetry of transport: ___________________ C) energy requirements: ______________ D) All transport processes require as energy source. Briefly describe the energy source for lactose transport in this example. 8. This diagram shows the formation of an action potential upon sensing an initial depolarizing stimulus.

Na K channels:

channels:

A. Identify the states of the Na+ and K+ voltage-gated channels (opened, closed, inactivated) at each of the points marked along the recording. B. Draw another line on the figure to show what would have happened to the membrane potential if there had been no voltage-gated ions channels.

9. Inhibitory neurotransmitters such as GABA trigger the opening of Cl- channels in the post synaptic membrane. Explain why this will suppress the formation of a new action potential in that membrane

Biol 309

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Membrane Transport Page 5

11. Complete this diagram of a synapse, adding and labeling all of the components needed to pass an action potential across the synapse. Label all membranes and the components.

12. 1Add the membrane transporters and other components/metabolites to this diagram needed to show how glucose is transported from the intestinal lumen through endothelial cells to the circulatory system. Explain the roles of active and passive transport steps in the transport process.

Biol 309

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Membrane Transport Page 6