Chapter 12 Flashcards
protein-free artificial lipid bilayer (liposome)
impermeable to most water-soluble molecules
cell membranes
contain transport proteins, each of which transports a specific type of molecule
EX: selective transport includes active pumping of specific molecules into or out of the cell
combined action of transport proteins can…
allow solutes to build up inside a membrane enclosed compartment (ex: cytosol or and organelle)
interior of the lipid bilayer is…
hydrophobic
creates a barrier that hydrophilic molecules can’t pass
why doesn’t simple diffusion work for hydrophilic molecules?
it is way too slow!
how do we accelerate passage of hydrophilic molecules through lipid bilayers?
facilitated transport
can all molecules diffuse across a lipid bilayer?
YES, but some rates are super slow
what type of molecules diffuse more quickly across the membrane?
smaller, more hydrophobic (aka more nonpolar) molecules
fewer favorable interactions with water (less polar) = diffuses more quickly
solutes
substances dissolved in water that are polar
need transporters to cross cell membranes
lipid bilayer permeability
small nonpolar molecules
O2, CO2
dissolve readily, rapidly diffuse
important for cellular respiration
lipid bilayer permeability
uncharged polar molecules
molecules w/ uneven distribution of electric charge
diffuse readily if small enough
H20, ethanol cross quickly
glycerol crosses very slowly
glucose is large and hardly crosses
lipid bilayer permeability
charged molecules
highly impermeable!
includes inorganic ions
why?: strong electrical attraction to water inhibits entry into inner hydrocarbon phase of the bilayer
most plentiful ion outside the cell?
Na+
most plentiful ion inside the cell?
K+
high conc Na+ outside cell is balanced by?
Cl- inside cell
high conc K+ inside cell is balanced by?
negatively charged ions including nucleic acids, proteins, and cell metabolites
membrane potential
electrical imbalances in plasma membrane
generate a voltage difference across the membrane
resting membrane potential
cell is unstimulated, exchange of cations and anions across membrane is balanced
resting potential is negative bc inside of cell is more neg than outside
most membrane transport proteins have…
polypeptide chains that cross lipid bilayer many times (multipass transmembrane proteins)
how do we use multipass transmembrane proteins?
to allow small, hydrophilic molecules to cross the membrane without contacting hydrophobic interior of lipid bilayer
how do transporter and channels differ?
in the way they discriminate between solutes
channels discriminate on
size and electric charge
open channel = any ion or molecule small enough and with the right charge can pass through
transporter
transfers only molecules or ions that fit into specific binding sites on the protein
bind solutes with great specificity (just like enzymes binding substrates)
transporter mechanism
undergoes conformational changes to transfer small solutes across lipid bilayer
channel mechanism
when open, forms a pore across the bilayer through which specific inorganic ions or polar organic molecs can diffuse
which is faster channel or transporter?
channels!