Faculty of

Medicine

Academic Year: 2024-2025

Year: 1 Semester: 1
Module: Human Body Function (HBF) 102
Lecture 4
Transport Across the Cell Membrane

By: Dr.Maessa M. Elnhas Prof. of physiology Tanta University

Dr.Mohamed abo El Hassan Prof. of physiology Elazar University

Department: Department of Clinical physiology

11/23/2024 22
Objectives
By the end of this lecture students of first year must know
•Describe the structure of cell membrane
•Describe the significance of transport across biologic membranes
•Classify mechanisms involved in the transport of substances across cell
membranes
•Describe the characteristics of different transport mechanisms
•Classify the transporters involved in carrier mediated transports
•Summarize the differences between diffusion through lipid bilayer, diffusion
through protein channels and carrier mediated facilitated diffusion.
•Describe facilitated diffusion & carrier protein.
•Determine osmosis ,normo , hyper & hypoosmolality
•Compare and contrast the structure and functions of voltage gated channels
and ligand gated channels
•Compare the kinetics of facilitated diffusion with active transport
11\24\2024 HBF - 102 3
 The cell membrane
The cell membrane is also called the plasma membrane or biologic
membrane, it is a thin structure that surrounds the cells .
•Functions of the cell membrane
1.It protects the protoplasmic mass & binds its components together.
2.It regulates ionic & non-ionic fluxes in or out of the cell.
3.It contains receptors for chemical messengers which would activate
or inhibit various cellular functions.

11\24\2024 HBF - 102 4

The cell membrane
▪ The structure of the plasma membrane, described as a fluid mosaic, consists
of phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates.
▪ The membrane is considered fluid because the phospholipids and the other
molecules in the membrane are not linked together by chemical bonds and
can move about laterally, and they even occasionally move from one side of
the bilayer to the other.
▪ Cholesterol molecules are found within the lipid bilayer, where they interfere
with hydrophobic interactions between phospholipid tails, which could
cause crystallization of the bilayer and decrease the fluidity.

11\24\2024 HBF - 102 5

The cell membrane
Membrane lipids
❑Each phospholipid molecule has a head & tail.
❑The head is formed of phosphate radical & is placed on the outer & inner surfaces of the membrane. It
dissolves in & mixes with water, thus it is called hydrophilic (love water).
❑The tail is formed of fatty acid radicles & is present in the center or the middle of the membrane. It is
insoluble in water but soluble in fat solvents. It is called hydrophobic (hate water).
❑The hydrophilic portions of the molecules are projected to the outer & inner surfaces of the membrane
so that they are in contact with the exterior watery extracellular fluid that bathes the cells & the aqueous
cytoplasmic interiorly.
❑The hydrophobic tails are present in between i.e. in center of the membrane.

11\24\2024 HBF - 102 6

• Membrane proteins
- There are several types of proteins embedded in the membrane as separate
globular units.
- Some protein globules are located on the inner or outer surfaces of the lipid
bimolecular layer & are called "peripheral proteins" & some extend
through the membrane & are called ''transe-membrane proteins or
integral proteins".
- Also, proteins have hydrophilic parts, located on the outer & inner surfaces
& a hydrophobic part present in 'the 'interior of the membrane,
- Some proteins of cell membrane: may contain lipids (lipoproteins) or
carbohydrates (glycoproteins).
Proteins are Crucial to Membrane Function
Functions of proteins in the cell membrane
❖ Structural proteins: they keep the integrity of the membrane & give it strength.
❖ Make passive channels: for passage -of ions & water.
❖ Active pumps: for active transport of ions across the membrane.
❖ Receptors: for binding with specific chemical messengers (hormones or
neurotransmitters). Receptors are mainly glycoproteins found on the outer surface of
the membrane.
❖ Enzymes: which catalyze certain reactions on the inner or outer surfaces of the
membrane.
❖ Identity protections: which give the cells the individual's label of identity, so that
they would not attacked by the immune system.
- Protein channles classified into
I-Non-gated channels
- Open all the time allowing passage of ions all the time. So, they
are called "Leak channels."

• II) Gated channels

- They have gates that open or close.
- They are either:
1-Voltage-gated'. Open or close by alterations in membrane
potential.
2-Ligand-gated: Open or close by binding to a ligand e.g. acetyl
choline (A.Ch.).
Osmosis.
• Diffusion of water(or any solvent)
across a membrane
• Moves from HIGH water
concentration to LOW water
concentration
• Water is attracted to solutes (like salt) so
it will also travel to areas of low solute
concentration to high solute
concentration.
Cells in Solutions
• Isotonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is the same as the
solute concentration inside the
cell.
• Hypotonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is lower than the
solute concentration inside a cell
• Hypertonic
• A solution whose solute
concentration is higher than the
solute concentration inside a cell.
Cell in Isotonic Solution
• What is the direction of
water movement?
• The cell is at
EQUILIBRIUM
• Water will flow in both
directions outside and
inside the cell.

The solute and water

concentrations are the same
inside and outside the cell.
Cell in Hypertonic Solution
• What is the direction of water
movement?
• The water is GOING OUT of the cell.

The solute concentration is

greater outside the cell,
therefore water will flow
outside the cell.
Cell in Hypotonic Solution
• What is the direction of water
movement?
• The water is going INSIDE the cell.
• Water is attracted to the solute inside
the cell.

The solute concentration is greater

inside the cell than outside, therefore
water will flow into the cell.
Cells in Solutions
Osmosis in Red Blood Cells

• Isotonic Hypotonic Hypertonic

 • Transport across cell membrane
I-Transport of small molecules: (Micro molecules)
a. Passive transport (diffusion)
1.Simple diffusion.
2.Facilitated diffusion.
b.Active transport.
II. Transport of large molecules: (macromolecules(
-Endocytosis.
-Exocytosis.
Simple Diffusion
• Requires NO energy
• Molecules move from area
of HIGH to LOW
concentration
Diffusion
Diffusion is a PASSIVE process
which means no energy is
used to make the molecules
move, they have a natural
KINETIC ENERGY
 Passive diffusion
- Passive diffusion needs no energy.
- There are 2 pathways for passing through cell membrane by
passive (simple) diffusion
• [A] Diffusion through lipid bilayer
- Lipid soluble substances e.g. O2, N2 & alcohols.
- Water (because of small molecular size & its high kinetic energy).
Many of the body’s cell membranes contain protein “pores” called
aquaporins that selectively permit rapid passage of water through the
membrane. The aquaporins are highly specialized, and there are at
least 13 different types in various cells of mammals.
- Charged particles e.g. Na+ & K+ & glucose can not pass.
• [B] Diffusion through protein channels
- Important for diffusion of ions & some water-soluble substances.
- Highly selective i.e. there are specific channels for transport of
Na+, K+, Ca++.
Diffusion Through a Membrane

• Solute moves DOWN the concentration gradient.

(HIGH to LOW)
Diffusion of Water Across A Membrane

• High water concentration Low water concentration

• Low solute concentration High solute concentration
Three Forms of Transport Across the Membrane

• Passive Transport Active Transport

Passive Transport: Simple Diffusion
• Simple Diffusion
• Doesn’t require
energy
• Moves high to
low
concentration
• Example:
Oxygen or water
diffusing into a
cell and carbon
dioxide diffusing
out.
Factors Affecting Rates of Simple Diffusion
I-The Magnitude of the Driving Force
II-Membrane Surface Area
III-Membrane Permeability
Among the factors influencing the permeability of cell
membranes are the following:
1. The lipid solubility of the diffusing substance.
2.The size and shape of diffusing molecules.
3.Temperature.
4.Membrane thickness.

11\24\2024 HBF - 102 30

⚫Facilitated diffusion
⚫Require no energy.
⚫Require a carrier
 The carrier is similar to enzyme & solute is similar to substrate i.e. similar to
enzyme-substrate complex except there is no covalent interaction.
 Features of the carrier:
⚫ There is specific binding i.e. specificity.
⚫ There is binding constant i.e. Km & affinity.
⚫ Can be inhibited by compounds that have structural similarity to solute
i.e. competitive inhibitor.
⚫ Can be saturated.
• Depends on the concentration gradient across the membrane.
• Depends on the rapidity of conformational change.
• -The transport can occur bidirectionally.
Passive Transport: Facilitated Diffusion

• Facilitated Diffusion
• Does not require energy
• Uses transport proteins
to move high to low
concentration
• Examples: Glucose or
amino acids moving from
blood into a cell.

• Among the many substances that cross

cell membranes by facilitated diffusion
are glucose and most of the amino acids.
In the case of glucose, at least 14
members of a family of membrane
proteins (called GLUT) that transport
glucose molecules have been discovered
in various tissues.
Facilitated Diffusion
Molecules will randomly move through the pores in
Channel Proteins.
Facilitated Diffusion
• Some carrier proteins do not
extend through the membrane.
• They bond and drag molecules
through the lipid bilayer and release
them on the opposite side.
 Types of carrier proteins
Uniport system
• Which move on type of molecules bidirectionally e.g. D-glucose.

Co-transport system
• In which transfer of one solute depend upon the simultaneous transport of another
solute.

It is of two types
I) Symport system
• In which the two solutes moves in the same direction.
• e.g. Na+-sugar transporters (glucose, mannose, galactose, xylose).

II) Antiport system

• Which move two molecules in opposite directions.
• e.g. Na+ in & Ca++ out in nerve cell.
Types of Transport Proteins
• Channel proteins are
embedded in the cell
membrane & have a pore
for materials to cross
• Carrier proteins can
change shape to move
material from one side of
the membrane to the
other
• Mechanism of facilitated diffusion (ping-pong)
- The carrier protein exists in 2 conformations
• 1- Pong confirmation
- Which is exposed to the higher concentration of the solute.
- Solute molecules bind to this conformation.
• 2- Ping conformation
- Conformational change of the carrier exposing the solute to
lower concentration i.e. transport of the solute.
 • Factors affecting the rate of facilitated diffusion
1.Concentration gradient across the membrane.
2.Amount of carrier protein available (key control.(
3.Rapidity of solute carrier interaction i.e. the affinity of the
carrier to the solute.
4.Rapidity of conformational change for both the loaded &
unloaded carriers.
5.Hormone
- Insulin hormone => Increase glucose transport in fat & muscle by
increasing the number of Na+-glucose symports.
- Growth hormone => Increase amino acids transport in all cells by
increasing the number of Na+-amino acid symports.
23 November
Module:
41 HBF-1022024

SUMMARY
• Transport across cell membrane
I-Transport of small molecules: (Micro molecules)
a. Passive transport (diffusion)
1.Simple diffusion.
2.Facilitated diffusion.
b.Active transport.
II. Transport of large molecules: (macromolecules(
-Endocytosis.
-Exocytosis.
23 November
Module:
42 HBF-1022024

INTERACTIVE QUESIONS
• The cell contains several types of membranes that function as
barriers between compartments. (Are you know them?)
• Define osmosis & diffusion?
• Write types of transport?
 References

Linda S. Costanzo

11/23/2024 HBF - 102 43

43