Membranes and Cell Transport

Front

What is the hydrophobic region of the cell membrane?

Back

The hydrophobic region of the cell membrane refers to the part of the membrane that repels water, typically composed of fatty acid tails of phospholipids.

Front

How do cells take in large particles?

Back

Cells take in large particles through a process called endocytosis, where the cell membrane engulfs the particle.

Front

What is responsible for transporting large or charged molecules across the cell membrane?

Back

Transport proteins, specifically channel proteins, are responsible for getting large or charged (polar) molecules across the cell membrane.

Front

What process occurs when water diffuses across a membrane?

Back

The process is called osmosis, which is the movement of water from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Front

What is another term for 'selectively permeable'?

Back

Another term for 'selectively permeable' is 'semipermeable', which means that the membrane allows certain substances to pass while blocking others.

Front

What is the primary function of the cell membrane?

Back

The primary function of the cell membrane is to protect the cell and regulate what enters and exits the cell.

Front

Define diffusion in the context of cell transport.

Back

Diffusion is the process by which molecules spread from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Front

What is the difference between passive and active transport?

Back

Passive transport does not require energy and moves substances down their concentration gradient, while active transport requires energy to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Front

What role do channel proteins play in cell transport?

Back

Channel proteins facilitate the transport of specific substances across the cell membrane, especially large or charged molecules.

Front

Explain the term 'endocytosis'.

Back

Endocytosis is the process by which cells engulf external substances, bringing them into the cell in a vesicle.