BCOR 011

Sept 21, 2005

Membrane
Transport

Lecture 10

Membrane Transport
1. Permeability
2. Diffusion
3. Role of transport proteins - facilitated
Channel proteins
Carrier proteins
4. Active vs passive transport

1. Lipid bilayers are selectively permeable

small,nonpolar

small
uncharged, polar
larger
uncharged, polar
molecules
ions
Size polarity - ions

Decreasing
permeability

The Permeability of the Lipid

Bilayer
Hydrophobic molecules

Are lipid soluble and can pass through

the membrane rapidly

Polar molecules

Do not cross membrane rapidly

Ions

Do not cross the membrane at all

Transport processes
Solutes dissolved ions and small
organic molecules

i.e., Na+,K+, H+, Ca++, Cl,sugars, amino acids, nucleotides

Three transport processes:

a. Simple diffusion directly thru membrane

Req b. Facilitated diffusion (passive transport)
Carrierc. Active transport requires energy
prot

Simple
Diffusion:
Tendancy of a material to spread out
Always moves toward equilibrium

Net diffusion
Figure 7.11 B
Net diffusion

Net diffusion
Net diffusion

Net diffusion

Equilibrium

Equilibrium
Net diffusion

Equilibrium

simple diffusion example:

Oxygen crossing red cell membrane
HIGH -> low
Lungs

Tissues

O2

O2

CO2

HCO3-

CO2

O2

CO2

CO2

O2

HCO3-

HCO3-

Driving force: concentration gradient

Trying to even out concentration

H2O transport: diffusion from area with low

[solute] to one with high [solute]
Lower
concentration
of solute (sugar)

Higher
concentration
of sugar

Same concentration
of sugar

Osmosis
Diffusion
of water
Selectively
permeable membrane: sugar molecules cannot pass
through pores, but
water molecules can

Water molecules
cluster around
sugar molecules

More free water

molecules (higher
concentration)

Fewer free water

molecules (lower
concentration)
Osmosis

Figure 7.12

Water moves from an area of higher

free water concentration to an area
of lower free water concentration

Impermeable
Solutes

Animal cells pump out ions

Plants, bacteria cell walls
Hypotonic solution
(a) Animal cell. An
animal cell fares best
in an isotonic environment unless it has
special adaptations to
offset the osmotic
uptake or loss of
water.

H2O

Figure 7.13
(b) Plant cell. Plant cells
are turgid (firm) and
generally healthiest in
a hypotonic environment, where the
uptake of water is
eventually balanced
by the elastic wall
pushing back on the
cell.

Isotonic solution

H2O

Turgid (normal)

H2O

H2O

Normal

Lysed

Hypertonic solution

H2O

Shriveled

H2O

H2O

Flaccid

H2O

Plasmolyzed

but most things are too large or too

polar to cross at reasonable rates using
simple diffusion

Facilitated diffusion:
proteinmediated movement down a
gradient
Transmembrane transport proteins

Transmembrane transport proteins

allow selective transport of hydrophilic molecules & ions

1. carrier protein

Bind solute,
conformational change,
release
Selective binding
turnstile

Carrier protein
(b) A carrier protein alternates between two conformations, moving a
solute across the membrane as the shape of the protein changes.
The protein can transport the solute in either direction, with the net
movement being down the concentration gradient of the solute.
Figure 7.15

Solute

Transmembrane transport proteins

allow selective transport of hydrophilic molecules & ions

aqueous channel 2. channel
hydrophilic pore
very rapid
EXTRACELLULAR
selective size/charge
FLUID

protein

trap door

Channel protein

Solute
CYTOPLASM

(a) A channel protein (purple) has a channel through which

water molecules or a specific solute can pass.
Figure 7.15

Kinetics of simple vs facilitated

Diffusion

(solute concentration gradient) ->

Gets
saturated
Maximum
rate

Does
Not
Get
saturated

For CHARGED solutes (ions): net driving force

is the electrochemical gradient
has both a concentration + charge component;
Ion gradients can create an electrical voltage
gradient across the membrane (membrane potential)

+ + +
+
+
+
+

-60 mVolts +

++ +
+ +
+
+++
+++

---

---

---

+++

+++

---

+ +
+ +

Channel Proteins:
facilitate passive transport
Ion channels: move ions down an
electrochemical gradient; gated
keys

Voltage

Ligand

Mechanosensitive

Ligand-gated ion channel

Wastebasket model step on pedal & lid opens

Ligand-gated

example: ligand-gated ion channel

Key - acetylcholine

Voltage-gated channels
+ +
+
+
+ +

- - -

+
-

- + - +

Note: channels are passive, facilitated transport systems

Example of voltage-gated ion channel

Protein ion channels:

-are passive, facilitated transport systems
-require a membrane protein
-typically move ions very rapidly from an area
of HIGH concentration to one of lower
concentration

Carrier proteins:
Transport solute across membrane
by binding it on one side,
undergoing a conformational change
and then releasing it to the other side

Example: Glucose transporter GluT1 :

carrier-mediated facilitated diffusion
Glucoseout (HIGH)->glucose

(low)

outside cell

2. Conformational
change
3. Glucose
T2
ReleasedConformational
shift
2.

1. Glucose binds

T1

in

1.

inside cell

3.

Glucose + ATP glucose-6-phosphate + ADP

hexokinase

T1

Carrier proteins: three types

(a) Uniport

(b) Co-transport

Uniport one solute transported

Symport two solutes in the same direction

Antiport two solutes in opposite directions

Carrier Proteins can mediate either:

1. Passive transport
driving force ->

concentration/electrochemical gradient
OR

2. Active transport
against a gradient; unfavorable
requires energy input
Note: channel proteins mediate only passive transport

 Active transport

Carrier protein moves solute AGAINST its

concentration gradient
Requires energy, usually in the form of ATP hydorlysis
Or a favorable gradient established by use of ATP

Active
transport:
Na+K+ Pump
(Na+K+ATPase)

3 Na+ out
2 K+ in
ATP!

P
P

Cytoplasmic Na+ binds to

the sodium-potassium pump.

2 Na+ binding stimulates

phosphorylation by ATP.

[Na+] high
[K+] low
Na+

Na+

Na+

Na+

Na+

The sodium
-potassium
pump

[Na+] low
[K+] high

Na+
CYTOPLASM

ATP

P
ADP

EXTRACELLULAR
FLUID

Na+
Na+

Na+

K+ is released and Na+

sites are receptive again;
the cycle repeats.

K+

K+

Phosphorylation causes the

protein to change its conformation, expelling Na+ to
the outside.

K+
P
K

Figure 7.16
5

Loss of the phosphate

restores the proteins
original conformation.

Pi

K+

K+

Extracellular K+ binds to the

protein, triggering release of the
Phosphate group.

The Na+/K+ Pump:

bilge pump
Creates an electrochemical
gradient (high external [Na+ ])

+
Na
Na+
Na+
+
Na
Na+

+ Na+
potential energy
Na
like storing water behind a dam
Na+

Na+
uses ~1/3 of cells ATP!!

Example of indirect active transport:

Na+ gradient drives other transport

Na+ glucose symport

Glucose
Gradien
t

Coupled transport

 An electrogenic pump
Is a transport protein that generates the voltage
across a membrane

ATP

EXTRACELLULAR
FLUID

+
+

H+
H+

Proton pump

H+
H+

CYTOPLASM
Figure 7.18

+
+

H+

 Cotransport: active transport driven by a

concentration gradient

H+

ATP

H+

H+

Proton pump

H+

H+

Sucrose-H+
cotransporter

H+ Diffusion
of H+
H+

Figure 7.19

+
+

Sucrose

Direct active
transport

Indirect active
transport

Transport coupled to
Exergonic rxn, i.e. ATP
hydrolysis

*Transport driven
by cotransport of ions

*note that the favorable ion gradient was

established by direct active transport

.Each membrane has its own

characteristic set of transporters

Summary:

Passive transport
Simple diffusion Facilitated diffusion
No protein
HIGH to low conc
favorable

Active transport

channel carrier
protein protein

carrier protein
low to HIGH conc

HIGH to low conc

favorable

Unfavorable
Add energy

ATP

Figure 7.17