MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS

Cells need to take in food materials, salts and water; and to get
rid of substances such as carbon dioxide. These substances
may pass through the cell membrane either passively by
diffusion or osmosis, or actively by active transport.

Diffusion
Atoms, molecules and ions are always moving. As a result of
this movement, molecules spread themselves out until hey are
equally concentrated.
The higher the temperature, the faster they move. In a solid,
particles cannot move very far (they are held by attractive
forces); in a liquid they can move more freely; and in a gas they
are freer still (no attractive forces).
Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of
higher concentration to a region of lower concentration
down a concentration gradient, as a result of their
random movement.
Diffusion can explain how a cell takes in oxygen and gets rid of
carbon dioxide.

When they can move freely, particles tend to spread as evenly

as they can. First, there will be a very high concentration of the
dye molecules in one area, but none in the rest of the glass.

Then, molecules will spread through the glass until the whole
glass will have dye and water molecules mixed together.
Dye molecules have spread out, or diffused, through the glass.
Rates of diffusion:
The speed depends on:

Temperature (the higher, the faster they move).

Whether its solid, liquid or gas (in solid they cant move, in
liquid they can, and in gas they move more freely).
The distance it has to diffuse (the shorter the faster) they
also have to move from where they enter to where they
are needed.
The concentration inside and outside (the bigger the
difference, the faster the diffusion).
Whether the cell membrane will let the molecules or ions
in or not, and their size to get through.
The thicker the wall the slowest the diffusion.
Movements may be speeded up by enzymes inside the
cytoplasm.
The surface area (the bigger it is the faster is the total
diffusion). Cells which are involved to rapid absorption
often have microvilli, which increases the surface area.

The difference between the concentration inside and outside of

the cell is called concentration gradient.
Diffusion in living organisms:
Living organisms obtain and get rid of substances by diffusion.
For example, diffusion is present in: gas exchange for
respiration in animals and plants; in the absorption of digestion
products in animals; and in flowering plants to attract
pollinators (scent).

Osmosis
Osmosis takes place when we have in water a concentrated
solution separated from a dilute solution by a partially
permeable membrane. This membrane will have holes or pores

that will let some molecules through (water, because they are
small) but not others (a big molecule, like sugar).
**If the membrane was not there, molecules will diffuse to the
other side until the solution is evenly spread; but they cannot
do this because they are to big to pass through the partially
permeable membrane.

When a substance dissolves in water, it attracts water

molecules and stop them from moving freely. This reduces the
concentration of water molecules. A dilute solution (a lot of
water) has a high water potential; while a concentrated
solution (less water) has a low water potential.
There is a water potential gradient between the two sides.
Water molecules will diffuse down this gradient, from a high
water potential to a low water potential.
Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from a
region of their higher concentration (dilute solution) to
a region of their lower concentration (concentrated
solution), through a partially permeable membrane.
Partially permeable membranes:

Are those membranes which let some substances pass through

them, but not others. An example are the Visking tubing and
the cell membrane.
Cell membrane: There is always cytoplasm (made of proteins
and water) in one side of the cell membrane; and a solution on
the other side of it. So the cell membrane separates two
different solutions, and if these solutions have different
concentrations, then osmosis will occur.
The cell membrane is made up of proteins and lipids, anything
which denatures proteins will destroy the partially permeable
features of the cell membrane. If this happens, the cell will die
because essential substances will get out and harmful
substances will get in.
Osmosis in living organisms:

Animal cells in pure water (or any solution with a higher

water potential): Cytoplasm, which has a concentrated
solution (proteins and other substances dissolved) is
separated by the cell membrane from a diluted solution
(pure water). Therefore, osmosis will occur. Water
molecules will diffuse from the dilute solution into the
concentrated solution. And as more and more water
enters to the cell, it starts to swell and the cell membrane
strain until it strains too much and it bursts.
Animal cell in concentrated solution: As the solution
outside the cell is more concentrated than the cytoplasm,
water molecules will diffuse out of the cell. As they go out
through the cell membrane, the cytoplasm shrinks and
the cell shrivels up.

Excesive uptake or loss of water by osmosis may damage the

cells.For this reason it is very important that the cells are
surrounded by a solution with the same concentration. In
vertebrate animals the brain monitors this concentration and
the kidneys regulate it.

Plant cells in pure water: The cytoplasm and the cell sap
contain a concentrated solution which reduces the water
potential inside the cell. Water will pass into the cell and
the vacuole by osmosis, and the vacuole will start to
expand and push the cytoplasm and cell membrane. The
cell wall is very strong, and will stop the cell from bursting,
because it will resist the intake of more water. In this
state, the plant is said to be turgid, because it's tight and
firm. And the vacuole is exerting turgor pressure on the
cell wall.

Plant cell in concentrated solution: Like an animal cell it

will lose a lot of water by osmosis, and the cytoplasm and
the vacuole will shrink and the cell becomes floppy
(flexible); it is said to be flaccid. In this state, the plant
loses its firmness and begins to wilt (marchitarse). The
cell wall doesnt shrink too much, so it's left behind. A cell
like this is said to be plasmolysed, and this usually kills the
plant cell because the cell membrane is damaged for
being teased away from the cell wall.

Active Transport
Active transport helps to have a control over what gets in or out
of the cell; because anything that was more concentrated

outside than inside will get into the cell whether it's harmful or
not.
Active transport occurs when cells need to take in or out
substances which are only present in small quantities inside or
outside them; this means that the concentration in one side of
the cell is higher than the concentration on the other side, and
molecules will have to move against their concentration
gradient.
This process consumes energy released by respiration; so
anything which interferes with respiration prevents the active
transport from taking place. The energy is used in the change
of shape that will enable the substance to get in or out of the
cell.
Active transport is the movement of ions in or out of a
cell through the cell membrane, from a region of their
lower concentration to a region of their higher
concentration against a concentration gradient, using
energy released during respiration.
Active transport in living organisms:

The cells lining the small intestine take up glucose by

active transport.
Plants absorb mineral salts and nitrates from the soil by
active transport.

Active transport is carried out by 'carrier proteins' in the

membrane which change shape to carry the molecule across
the membrane.

EXPERIMENTS
Osmosis an turgor:
Water gets into the visking tubing (partially permeable
membrane) by osmosis, because the solution inside the visking
tubing is more concentrated than the solution outside. This
generates pressure and increases the volume of the solution
inside. The tube gets firm and turgid.

Osmosis and water flow:

Water gets into the visking tube (partially permeable
membrane) by osmosis, because the solution inside the visking
tubing is more concentrated than the solution outside. This
generates pressure and increasing the volume of the liquid
inside. The level of liquid inside the tube will rise.

Plasmolysis:
Set an epidermis onion cell under a microscope and put a sugar
solution outside.
The water will go out by osmosis to dilute the concentrated
solution outside, and the water will loose water. Because of this
the vacuole will shrink separating the cell membrane from the
cell wall, which remains turgid. This is plasmolysis.
Turgor in potato tissue:

Potato in a water solution: As the solution inside the

potato is more concentrated than the solution outside,

water will get into the potation by osmosis. The potato will
become turgid and a little bigger.
Potato in a concentrated solution: As the solution outside
the potato is more concentrated than the solution inside,
water will get out by osmosis. As the potato starts to loose
water, the cells inside the potato will plasmolysis, this
means that the vacuoles will shrink and the cell
membrane will separate from the cell wall. Due to the
loose of water, the potato will get smaller.

Partial permeability:
Water and iodine molecules (starch indicator, gets blue with
starch) can pass through the partially permeable membrane,
because they are small, and inside the tube with starch.
Meanwhile, the starch cannot go through the partially
permeable membrane, because they are big, so the dialysis
tube gets blue, because of the water with iodine, and the water
remains the same.