Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes (Ch. 5) Flashcards
active transport
method of transporting material that requires energy
amphiphilic
molecule possessing a polar or charged area and a nonpolar or uncharged area capable of interacting with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic environments
antiporter
transporter that carries two ions or small molecules in different directions
aquaporin
channel protein that allows water through the membrane at a very high rate
carrier protein
membrane protein that moves a substance across the plasma membrane by changing its own shape
channel protein
membrane protein that allows a substance to pass through its hollow core across the plasma membrane
concentration gradient
area of high concentration adjacent to an area of low concentration
diffusion
passive transport process of low-molecular weight material according to its concentration gradient
electrochemical gradient
a combined electrical and chemical force that produces a gradient.
endocytosis
type of active transport that moves substances, including fluids and particles, into a cell
exocytosis
process of passing bulk material out of a cell
facilitated transport
process by which material moves down a concentration gradient (from high to low concentration) using integral membrane proteins.
glycolipid
combination of carbohydrates and lipids
glycoprotein
combination of carbohydrates and proteins
hypertonic
situation in which extracellular fluid has a higher osmolarity than the fluid inside the cell, resulting in water moving out of the cell.
hypotonic
situation in which extracellular fluid has a lower osmolarity than the fluid inside the cell, resulting in water moving into the cell.
integral protein
protein integrated into the membrane structure that interacts extensively with the
membrane lipids’ hydrocarbon chains and often spans the membrane.
isotonic
situation in which the extracellular fluid has the same osmolarity as the fluid inside the cell, resulting in no net water movement into or out of the cell.
osmolarity
total amount of substances dissolved in a specific amount of solution
osmosis
transport of water through a semipermeable membrane according to the water’s concentration gradient across the membrane that results from the presence of solute that cannot pass through the membrane.
passive transport
method of transporting material through a membrane that does not require energy.
pinocytosis
a variation of endocytosis that imports macromolecules that the cell needs from the extracellular fluid
primary active transport
active transport that moves ions or small molecules across a membrane and may create a difference in charge across that membrane
receptor-mediated endocytosis
variation of endocytosis that involves using specific binding proteins in the plasma membrane for specific molecules or particles, and clathrin-coated pits that become clathrin-coated vesicles
secondary active transport
movement of material that results from primary active transport to the electrochemical gradient
solute
substance dissolved in a liquid to form a solution
symporter
transporter that carries two different ions or small molecules, both in the same direction
tonicity
amount of solute in a solution
transport protein
membrane protein that facilitates a substance’s passage across a membrane by binding it
uniporter
transporter that carries one specific ion or molecule
