Active transport (2024)

There are three main active transport methods - ion pumps, exocytosis and endocytosis. Find out what these are in this article.

Active transport (2)

Active transport requires energy. It could be compared to a ball moving up a hill.

Active transport is the transport of molecules that require the use of energy, in the form of an energy-storing chemical called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to help them cross the cell membrane. Particles are moved against a concentration gradient, meaning they move from a region of lower to a region of higher concentration.

Check out this fantastic video titled Active Transport created by the Teacher’s Pet. It explains the process of active transport.

There are three main active methods:

  • Ion pumps
  • Exocytosis
  • Endocytosis (2 types – phagocytosis and pinocytosis)

Ion pumps

Active transport (3) The ion pump (ion transporter) is a special protein that moves ions (charged molecules) across the membrane. Certain ions are actively absorbed eg K+ (potassium), and others are actively removed eg Na+ (sodium) from the cell. The ion pump restores required concentrations of molecules inside and outside cells, for the body system to function correctly. Ion pumps are located in the cell membrane and will only fit certain ions.

What is an ion? An ion is a charged atom or molecule. It is charged because the number of electrons does not equal the number of protons in the atom or molecule.

Exocytosis

Active transport (4) Exocytosis is the active removal of substances from the cell. Vacuoles/vesicles from Golgi bodies or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) fuse with the plasma membrane and expel their contents to the outside. This is a common process in cells involved with secretion.

Endocytosis

Active transport (5)

Endocytosis happens when a cell actively takes something in. The cell membrane folds around the substance during the process. It is not just some membrane proteins taking in a couple of molecules as in earlier forms of active transport.

There are two types of endocytosis:

  • Phagocytosis – (cell eating) This is the ingestion of solids from outside the cell. The plasma membrane encloses particle and buds off to form a food vacuole.
  • Pinocytosis – (cell drinking) This is the ingestion of fluid surrounding the cell. The plasma membrane encloses some of the fluid and pinches off to form a vesicle.

This article is from the online course:

The Basis of Life: Understanding Human Cells

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This article is from the free online

The Basis of Life: Understanding Human Cells

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Active transport (2024)

FAQs

Active transport? ›

Active transport is an energy-driven process where membrane proteins transport molecules across cells, mainly classified as primary or secondary, based on how energy is coupled to fuel these mechanisms.

What is active and passive transport? ›

In Active transport the molecules are moved across the cell membrane, pumping the molecules against the concentration gradient using ATP (energy). In Passive transport, the molecules are moved within and across the cell membrane and thus transporting it through the concentration gradient, without using ATP (energy).

What is the difference between diffusion and active transport? ›

diffusion is the net movement of molecules down the concentration gradient (from high to low concentration) through a partially permeable membrane. whereas, active transport is the movement of molecules against the concentration gradient (from low to high concentration) across a membrane, with the aid of energy.

Is diffusion an active or a passive process? ›

Diffusion is a passive mode of transportation. Passive transport does not require energy. A single substance moves from a high concentration area to a low concentration area until the concentration is uniform throughout the space.

What is primary and secondary active transport? ›

Primary active transport is the transport of molecules against a concentration gradient through the use of energy generated by ATP. Secondary active transport is the transport of two distinct molecules across a membrane using energy in other forms than ATP.

What are 3 examples of passive and active transport? ›

Difference Between Active And Passive Transport
Active TransportPassive Transport
Different types of Active Transport are – Exocytosis, endocytosis, sodium-potassium pumpDifferent types of Passive Transport are – Osmosis, diffusion, and facilitated diffusion
12 more rows
Feb 6, 2021

What is difference between active and passive? ›

In active voice sentences the subject does the action. Example: Liz played the piano. In passive voice sentences the subject receives the action. Example: The piano was played by Liz.

Is osmosis active or passive? ›

Osmosis is a form of passive transport when water molecules move from low solute concentration(high water concentration) to high solute or low water concentration across a membrane that is not permeable to the solute.

What are the 3 differences between osmosis and active transport? ›

Transport in cells - Edexcel Comparing diffusion, osmosis and active transport. Diffusion is the movement of particles from a high to lower concentration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a membrane. Active transport moves particles from low to higher concentration.

Why is active transport better than diffusion? ›

This process requires energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and the help of membrane-bound transport proteins. Active transport is important for maintaining concentration gradients and for moving molecules into or out of cells when diffusion or osmosis is not sufficient.

Does active transport require ATP? ›

During active transport, substances move against the concentration gradient, from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration. This process is “active” because it requires the use of energy (usually in the form of ATP). It is the opposite of passive transport.

What is an example of diffusion in passive transport? ›

The perfume is at its highest concentration in the bottle and is at its lowest at the edges of the room. The perfume vapor will diffuse, or spread away, from the bottle, and gradually, more and more people will smell the perfume as it spreads.

Does passive transport require energy? ›

Passive transport mechanisms require no input of metabolic energy, and it always entails movement of materials from regions of high concentration to regions of low concentration. Some membrane proteins bind solutes and provide an alternative path across membranes.

Does osmosis require energy? ›

Both diffusion and osmosis do not require energy because the substances move down the concentration gradient, from high to low concentration. The net flow of the substances is caused by random movement of the substances owing to the energy level of the substances.

Does osmosis require a membrane? ›

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of lower water concentration, in order to equalize the concentration of solutes on either side of the membrane.

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