Water Movement Across Membranes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to water movement across membranes, specifically focusing on aquaporins, transport mechanisms, and related physiological principles.

Aquaporins

Membrane proteins that facilitate water transport across cell membranes.

Hydraulic Conductivity

A measure of a membrane's ability to conduct water, influenced by aquaporins.

Poiseuille's Law

Describes the flow rate of a fluid through a pipe based on pressure gradient, viscosity, and radius.

Ys (Solute Potential)

The potential energy of water due to solute concentration, calculated as Ys = -RT Cs.

Phosphorylation

A regulatory mechanism that can enhance or inhibit the activity of aquaporins by adding a phosphate group.

Heterotetramers

Aquaporin complexes made of different aquaporin monomers, exhibiting different activities compared to homotetramers.

Field Capacity

The amount of water content remaining in soil after excess water has drained away.

Bulk Flow

The movement of water through the xylem and phloem driven by pressure gradients.

Xylem

Tissue in plants responsible for the transport of water and minerals from roots to the leaves.

Yp (Pressure Potential)

The physical pressure exerted on water in plants, calculated using the formula Yp = -2T/r.