Homeostasis and Transport Organisms respond to the environment

(this is a characteristic of life!)

Cells, tissues, organs, and whole organisms must maintain a biological balance with their immediate environment

Each cell sustains this balance (homeostasis) by regulating what substances can enter and/or leave

The organelle that regulates this is…the CELL MEMBRANE

The transport of substances across the

membrane can occur in 2 different ways…

• PASSIVE TRANSPORT: NO energy is required

• ACTIVE TRANSPORT: Energy (in the form of ATP) is

required

Passive TransportPassive Transport: the movement of some substances across the cell membrane without any energy input

Diffusion:• A natural movement of molecules from an area of high

concentration to an area of low concentration• In other words: the molecules move down their concentration

gradient

Passive Transport (cont.)

• Continues until the system has reached a state in which the concentration of molecules is equal everywhere in the system

→ this state is called EQUILIBRIUM

• Molecules are still in motion in a system which has reached equilibrium, but there is no concentration change

Diffusion across the cell membrane

• Molecules diffusing across the cell membrane move DOWN their concentration gradient

• Small, non-polar molecules are able to simply diffuse through the lipid bilayer

→ examples: CO2 and O2

• It is important to remember that NO ENERGY is being used here

Facilitated Diffusion... is used to transport molecules needed by the cell that are very large and insoluble in lipids Examples?IONS, ORGANIC POLYMERS

• Their diffusion must be facilitated (helped) by a part of the membrane

Ion Channels• Some proteins embedded in the membrane create a pore

through which specific ions (charged atoms) can travel• Gated channels open/close in response to stimuli Carrier Transport• Some proteins embedded in the membrane actually “carry” a

specific needed molecule across the cell membrane• A molecule is “received” on one side, slides through the

carrier, and is “spit out” the other side

OSMOSISOsmosis: Diffusion of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane

Hypotonic: • Describes an area of low solute concentration

(Therefore, solvent concentration is high) Hypertonic: • Describes an area of high solute concentration

(Therefore, solvent concentration is low)

Isotonic: • Describes a situation in which there is

no difference in solute concentration

Rule of Thumb: Water moves towards high soluteRule of Thumb: Water moves towards high solute

Osmosis and Living CellsIf a living cell found itself in a solution that was extremely hypotonic to its internal conditions, what problems could this cause?→ Hint: you should first think about which way water would tend to move in this situation

The Paramecium• Unicellular organism that lives

in fresh (hypotonic) water• Has an organelle called a contractile

vacuole which pumps out water that is constantly diffusing into the cell

*** Since this pumping action is being done against the concentration gradient, it requires energy!

Why do plants wilt? QUESTIONS: In addition to the cell membrane…

What “barrier” do plants possess? Where is it located?

• Plant cells, when watered regularly, find themselves living in hypotonic solution

• Water, therefore, moves into the plant cells by osmosis and the cell membrane swells, pressing it against the cell wall (this force is called TURGOR pressure)

• Plant cells, when NOT watered regularly, find themselves instead living in hypertonic solution

• Water, therefore, moves out of the plant cells by osmosis and the cell membrane shrinks away from the cell wall (this condition is called PLASMOLYSIS) → wilting plants!

REMEMBER: Rule of Thumb: Water moves towards high soluteRule of Thumb: Water moves towards high solute

Solution Water will move… Result

Hypotonic Into the cell

Animal cells undergo cytolysis (burst)Plant cells gain turgor pressure

Hypertonic Out of the cell

Animal cells shrivel/shrinkPlant cells undergo plasmolysis

Isotonic in/out of the cell (at equilibrium)

Cells are happy and healthy

Evaluating Osmotic ScenariosEvaluating Osmotic Scenarios

HYPOTONIC HYPERTONIC

Cells in Pure water Cells in Salt-water