Cellular Physiology Flashcards
What are the four parts of the cell theory
Cells are the basic unit of an organism
Activity of organisms depends on their cells activity
Cell function in dictated by cell shape (form=function)
Cells can only come from other cells
What is an integral protein
Firmly inserted in the plasma membrane and is usually a transmembrane
What are peripheral proteins
Not embedded in the bilayer but attached loosely to integral proteins
What are the functions of membrane proteins
Transport
Receptors
Support
Enzymes
Cellular adhesion
Cell communication
What is the difference between passive and active transport
Passive transport doesn’t require energy but active transport does
What does a cell membrane being selectively permeable mean
It is selective of what can pass through the membrane and allows most things only with a channel
What utilizes passive transport, what utilizes active transport, and what utilizes both
Diffusion uses passive
Active uses vesicular transport
Both use carrier mediated transport
What is diffusion
Molecular or ions moving from one area to another using a gradient
Usually occurs from high to low concentration
Passive process
Distance and molecular weight slow it down
Temperature “speeds up” diffusion
Can take place in open or compartmentalized system
What things can move through the lipid bilayer using simple diffusion
Non polar molecules and lipid soluble substances
Examples include oxygen, carbon dioxide, fat soluble vitamins
What is carrier mediated facilitated diffusion
Can only work using a carrier and transmembrane integral protein
What is channel mediated facilitated diffusion
Fluid filled transmembrane channel that allows ions to to pass through
How are membrane channels specific to ions and molecules
Their structural composition
What is a transport maximum
When all the membrane channels are saturated and there are no more carrier binding sites
How can competitors reduce the transport maximum
They looks and act like another substance so they compete for spots in the channel
What kind of transmembrane integral protein does water move through
An aquaporin which will move water until osmotic pressure and hydrostatic pressure reaches equilibrium
Water needs aquaporins to move through the membrane since polar substances can’t really move through the membrane easily
How will water move to try and make hydrostatic pressure equal
From high to low
What is hydrostatic pressure
A force generated by fluid volume so as volume increases hydrostatic pressure also increases
What is osmotic pressure
A force generated by osmolarity
What is osmolarity
Total concentration of all solute particles in a solution
What is Tonicity
When a solution changes the shape of a cell by changing how much water can enter or exit
What is isotonic
A solution that will not change the cell shape
What is hypertonic
A solution that causes a water efflux (leaves the cell) and causes the cell to shrink
What is hypotonic
A solution that causes a water influx (water enters the cell) and causes the cell to swell
How does active transport carry substances and does it utilize anything important
Active transport requires a carrier protein that carries substances against the concentration gradient and also utilizes atp or energy input
What is primary active transport
Breaks down atp which causes phosphorylation of the transport system which then causes the transporter to change shape
What is secondary active transport
Uses an electrochemical gradient which was set up by diffusion and the primary active transport
It uses energy but not from atp directly
It uses the energy from Na diffusing across the membrane and pushing glucose across its concentration gradient
What is the electrochemical gradient
When ions move so the charges balance out
When an ion moves across a membrane the charge follows
Usually made up of concentration and electrical gradient since ions and molecules want to move along their gradients
How can you find the membrane potential
Charge inside the cell minus the charge outside the cell
What is equilibrium potential
When the electrical gradient is equal to the chemical gradient