Active Transport and Vesicular Transport

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the active and vesicular transport of substances across cell membranes.

Active Transport

The process of moving solutes across a plasma membrane against their concentration gradient, requiring energy (ATP).

Primary Active Transport

The type of active transport that involves direct energy from ATP hydrolysis to move solutes.

Secondary Active Transport

Active transport that relies on the energy from ionic gradients created by primary active transport.

Sodium-Potassium Pump (Na+-K+ Pump)

An enzyme that pumps Na+ out of the cell and K+ into the cell, crucial for maintaining electrochemical gradients.

Vesicular Transport

Transport of large particles or macromolecules across the membrane in vesicles, requiring cellular energy.

Endocytosis

The process of transporting substances into the cell, which includes phagocytosis, pinocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Exocytosis

The process by which materials are expelled from the cell, typically involving secretory vesicles.

Phagocytosis

A type of endocytosis known as 'cell eating' where a cell engulfs large solid particles.

Pinocytosis

A type of endocytosis referred to as 'cell drinking', where the cell ingests extracellular fluid and dissolved substances.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis

Selective uptake of specific molecules via receptors, where the binding triggers internalization into the cell.

Antiporters

Carrier proteins that transport one substance into the cell while moving a different substance out.

Symporters

Carrier proteins that transport two different substances in the same direction across the plasma membrane.

V-SNARE and T-SNARE

Proteins involved in the docking process for exocytosis; V-SNARE is on the vesicle, and T-SNARE is on the target membrane.

Electrochemical Gradient

The combined effect of concentration and electrical charge differences across the plasma membrane, important for cellular functions.

Vesicular Trafficking

The process of transporting materials from one area of the cell to another within vesicles.