transport mechanisms Flashcards
what are the main functions of the cell membrane?
- support distinct compostions of the ICF and the ISF
- be selectively permeable
what is the cell membrane highly permeable to?
H20
lipid soluble substances
dissolved gases
small uncharged molecules
is the cell membrane permeable or impermeable to large molecules (macromolecules?)
impermeable
what type of movement is exhibited by the phospholipid bilayer?
what is it composed of?
- it exhibits lateral mobility
- it is amphipathic
- composed of hydrophilic polar head and hydrophobic tails
what is the role of cholesterol in the bilayer and where does it insert?
cholesterol can be found in the phospholipid bilayer and it provides stability and rigidity based on temperature.
by weight, what percentage of the bilayer does cholesterol occupy?
around 20%
what type of proteins can be found in the proximity of the bilayer?
- intergral proteins
- peripheral proteins
identify the following type of protein?
closely associated with the phospholipids, mostly cross the membrane
amphipathic
transmembrane
need detergents to be removed
integral proteins
identify the following type of protein?
more loosely anchored on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane
peripheral proteins
what do the carbohydrates and glycoproteins on the outer side of the membrane constitute?
the glycocalyx
what are some of the main function of membrane proteins?
- allow for selective transport and diffusion of specific molecules in and out of the cell
- act as enzymes
- serve as a cell receptor which receives and transduce signals from the cell environment
- cell surface identity markers (blood groups)
- cell to cell adhesion
- attachment to the cytoskeleton
what factors affect movement across the cell membrane?
- lipid solubility. a lipid soluble molecule will pass with more ease
- particle size: smaller particles can move across membranes more easily
- electrical charges: the interior of the cell is slightly negative and will tend to repulse negatively charged molecules
4. availability and number of carriers and ion channels
what is an energy independent transport mechanism?
-passive transport it includes diffusion carrier mediated facilitated diffusion osmosis
what are the energy dependent type of transport mechanisms?
- carrier-mediated active transport (primary and secondary)
2. pino/phagocytosis
what is diffusion?
movement of solute particles resulting from thermal motion.
the net flux goes from [high] to [low]
can diffusion occur even if there is the presence of a mechanical partition?
yes, as long as it is permeable to the diffusing molecules
what is fick’s law of diffusion?
what do the variables represent?
J= PA(Co-Ci) J= net flux P= permeability of diffusion coefficient A: surface area of the membrane Co-Ci: concentration gradient of the diffusion molecules across the membrane
is diffusion effective over long distances? and why?
no, its only effective over short distances as the diffusion time increases in proportion to the square of the distance, hence greater distance means a rapid increase in time.
how can diffusion particles penetrate
- dissolving in the lipid component (used by non polar molecules)
- diffusion through channels (used by ions)
what do ion channels consists of?
either a single protein or a cluster of proteins
how do ion channels show selectivity?
based on diameter as well as on the distribution of charges that line the channel
what factor also affect the movement of ions?
the electrical gradient
what is the electrochemical gradient?
its the simultaneous existence of the electrical and the concentration gradient for particular ions
what is the charge of the cell at rest? (resting potential)
its negative
-90 mV
what states do channels normally exist in?
they alter conformation and can either be in an open of closed conformation
what are the 3 ways channels can be gated?
- ligand gated
- voltage gated
- mechanically gated
what factors influence the amount of ions flowing through voltage gated channels?
give examples of such channels.
- the channel conductance
- how often its open
- how long it stays open for
ex: Na+ channel (in)
K+ channel (out)
Ca2+ channel (in)
Cl- channel (in)
what are some of the fundamental characteristics of mediated transport systems?
- they are specific
- they can be saturated, at that point carriers reach vMax
- competition may occur betweens sructurally similar molecules for the binding site
what factors determine the magnitude of mediated transport systems?
- solute concentration (more concentration will be saturated sooner)
- affinity of the transporter for the solute
- number of transporters (greater flux)
- rate of transporter conformation changes (faster= greater flux.)