Bulk Transport
- The processes of diffusion, osmosis and active transport are responsible for the transport of individual molecules or ions across cell membranes
- However, the bulk transport of larger quantities of materials into or out of cells is also possible
- Examples of these larger quantities of materials that might need to cross the membrane include:
- Bulk transport into cells = endocytosis
- Bulk transport out of cells = exocytosis
- Bulk transport processes require energy and are therefore forms of active transport
- They also require the formation of vesicles, which is dependent on the fluidity of membranes
- Vesicles are small spherical sacs of plasma membrane that containing substances for transport, e.g. enzymes
- The formation of vesicles is an active process and involves a small region of the plasma membrane being pinched off
- Vesicles can also fuse with cell membranes, at which point they are re-incorporated into a larger membrane
- In order to form from or fuse with membranes, vesicles need membranes to flex and bed, so fluidity is essential
Endocytosis
- Endocytosis transports material into cells
- During endocytosis the plasma membrane engulfs material, forming a small sac around it
- There are two forms of endocytosis:
- Phagocytosis:
- This is the bulk intake of solid material by a cell
- Cells that specialise in this process are called phagocytes
- The vacuoles formed are called phagocytic vacuoles
- An example is the engulfing of bacteria by phagocytic white blood cells
- Pinocytosis:
- This is the bulk intake of liquids
- Phagocytosis:
Endocytosis diagram
Phagocytosis is an example of endocytosis
Exocytosis
- Exocytosis is the process by which materials are removed from, or transported out of, cells
- It is the reverse of endocytosis
- The substances to be released are packaged into secretory vesicles
- These vesicles then travel to the cell surface membrane
- Here they fuse with the cell membrane and release their contents outside the cell
- An example is the secretion of digestive enzymes from pancreatic cells
Exocytosis diagram
Exocytosis involves the fusion of a vesicle with the cell surface membrane