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A4 Active Transportation

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Yashoda Priyangani
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16 views13 pages

A4 Active Transportation

Uploaded by

Yashoda Priyangani
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Active

transport
Introduction
• Active transport is a crucial cellular mechanism, distinct
from passive processes like diffusion and facilitated
diffusion.

• It enables cells to move


substances against
concentration or
electrochemical
gradients, an essential
function for maintaining
cellular homeostasis
Mechanism of Active Transport
• Involves carrier proteins that often span the entire
membrane.
• These carriers can be highly specific, transporting only one
type of ion or molecule, or they may transport several
similar substances.
• Active transport is powered by adenosine triphosphate
(ATP).
• Cells with high active transport activity typically have
numerous mitochondria to supply ATP.
• The process involves ATPase, an enzyme that catalyses ATP
hydrolysis, providing energy for transport.
One-Way Transport System
• Active transport is directional – it moves substances in the
required direction only.

• Referred to as gated channels, these systems regulate entry


and exit of substances in cells.

• While substances can move back out through diffusion,


active transport can bring them in faster than they can
leave.
The Sodium-Potassium Pump
• A key example of active transport is the sodium-potassium
pump, essential for nerve function.

• This pump actively moves potassium ions into cells and


sodium ions out.

• It plays a vital role in


nerve impulses, where an
influx of sodium ions is
necessary for impulse
transmission, followed by
active pumping out of
these ions for nerve cell
recovery.
Cellular and Organelle Regulation
• Active transport, along with
diffusion and facilitated diffusion,
allows the cell membrane to
control what enters and exits the
cell.

• It helps maintain different ion and


molecule concentrations inside
the cell compared to external
fluids.

• Similarly, organelle membranes


create microenvironments
suitable for specific functions, like
protein packaging in the Golgi
apparatus.
Endocytosis and exocytosis
• While diffusion and active transport are effective for moving
small particles across cell membranes, cells often need to
transport larger particles.

• This is where endocytosis and exocytosis come into play,


facilitating the movement of large substances into and out
of the cell.
Endocytosis
• Involves the formation of membrane-bound vesicles to enclose
and internalize materials from the external environment.

• Types:
• Phagocytosis (Cell Eating): Large-scale ingestion of particles like
bacteria by white blood cells.
• Pinocytosis (Cell Drinking): Ingestion of extracellular fluid along
with dissolved nutrients and minerals, forming tiny vacuoles.
• Electron Microscope observations show that pinocytosis is a
common method for cells to intake minerals and nutrients.

• Endocytosis is an active process that requires ATP.


Exocytosis
• Involves the fusion of vesicles with the cell membrane to
release their contents outside the cell.

• Common in hormone-secreting cells, where vesicles


containing hormones merge with the cell membrane to
release these hormones.

• Like endocytosis, exocytosis is an active process needing ATP.


• Both endocytosis and
exocytosis are made possible
by the fluid mosaic nature of
the cell membrane.

• This nature of the membrane


allows for the flexibility and
movement necessary for the
formation and fusion of
vesicles.

• These processes are crucial for


various cellular functions,
including nutrient uptake,
waste disposal, and secretion
of substances like hormones.

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