Cell Transportation
and
Homeostasis
How does the cell transportation work?
What role does the plasma membrane has referring to maintaining homeostasis?
How does the cell maintain homeostasis overall through different regulations?
How do changes of concentration of different solutions affect the osmotic pressure?
The cell transport is referring to the movement of the mix through the outer wall or the cell membrane. Through cellular transport, it allows the cell to take or give mixtures following with its biological function. Another thing that it allows the cell to do is, that it can regulate characteristics of the transport.
- Membranes - the cell membrane is a mixture of different types of lipids and proteins and has two common characteristics which are:
- "size" - molecules which are large can't pass through because of their size.
- "polarity" - molecules with polarity which are called "polar molecules" can't pass because their extracellular water molecules have a to high affinity.
Through vibrations it can happen that small "polar molecules" pass through the cell membrane (for example: water). Also lager "polar molecules can pass through it such as sugar but these much less easily.
- Diffusion / Osmosis - for the one that are "medium-sized" non-polar solutes that have passed through the cell membrane the molecules move from a higher concentration region to a lower concentration region. This happens to make the concentration equal.
There are two types of different transportation methods for the cells.
- Passive Transport - this method isn't requiring any energy from the cell. (Examples: diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide)
- Diffusion - that is the movement from a place with higher concentration to a place with lower concentration. The term for the difference between the two places with different concentrations is called "concentration gradient". The diffusion process normally goes on until the "concentration gradient" is gone. When the concentration gradient is over the molecules are still moving but without gaining any weight anymore.
- Facilitated Diffusion - is transporting the large molecules in the cell through the cell membrane by using proteins that are made for transporting. Without the transport proteins the larger molecules wouldn't be able to get through the cell membrane but with these types of proteins it is possible. This process is still called a "diffusion", because the molecules are still moving from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. That happens still without any usage of any type of energy.
- Osmosis - osmosis means as an biological term that it is the diffusion of water the membrane that has a lower concentration of water
- Filtration - is the movement of solute molecules and water that are going through the membrane
The other method how cells are being transported is called:
- Active Transport - this method is requiring the cell to spend energy, that is usually in the form of "ATP", which is including the transportation of large molecules.
- Primary Active Transport - is directly using chemical energy for moving molecules across the membrane. AN example for a primary active transport is the "sodium-potassium pump" which is in almost every animal cell by expanding the ATP the let the movement happen.
- Secondary Active Transport - in this transport type it is using the direct result of diffusion of another material. An example of a secondary active transport is a "sodium-calcium exchanger" or a "antiporter" which are using the normal diffusion.
Passive and Active Transport are both a biological process that moves molecules. The following chart is displaying important information of both of the transportation methods by comparing it.
To maintain a stable range in your body, homeostasis lets that happen by controlling the internal conditions. The main job of homeostasis is it to keep the internal environment consistent. The homeostasis is a "state of balanced equilibrium", in there everything is running smoothly without any problems. To maintain this environment the plasma membrane or also called "cell membrane" is keeping external material out of the cell and is providing controlled paths that are transporting fuel, fluid and waste materials.
The homeostasis is being maintained by a multiplex of organs and organ systems. To maintain a equilibrium the human body is required to make some adjustments for the proper functioning of the body. The homeostatic regulation is containing three parts: a receptor, a control center and also an effector.
The homeostasis is being maintained by a multiplex of organs and organ systems. To maintain a equilibrium the human body is required to make some adjustments for the proper functioning of the body. The homeostatic regulation is containing three parts: a receptor, a control center and also an effector.
- Receptor - is receiving all the information when something in the body is changing that is happening in the environment
- Control Center - while the control center is processing that information
- Effector - is processing the information and is also implementing the decisions made by the control center
Several different factors are there for maintaining the homeostasis which are:
- Environment - checking and making sure all the time is important to survive
- Temperature - organs and organ systems maintain a constant set temperature while liver and muscles job is is to generate heat in the inside of our body. When the heat in our body is greater than the heat outside our skin automatically loses heat. But when the heat in our body is lower than the heat of our surroundings our body is gaining heat through radiation and conduction. When our body is cooling down, so it is getting rid of excess heat this is called "evaporation".
- Osmoregulation - this is involving osmotic pressure. The job of it is it to make sure that the water content that is in your body is not to concentrated.
- Sugar - to regulate the sugar level is also maintaining the homeostasis. There are two hormones which are glucagon and insulin, these are regulating the blood sugar level. When there is a drop in our sugar level the "pancreas" releases insulin which is causing glycogen that is going to be stored in our body cells as glycogen. The result of that is going to be a lower sugar level than before. When the sugar level is to low, then glycagon is being released from the "pancreas" which is changing the glycagon into glycogen and that glycogen is being converted in our body cells into glucose. As a result our blood sugar level is raising.
- Calcium - the calcium regulation occurs when the calcium level is low. That happens when calcium-sensing receptors are getting activated.
- Balance of Fluids - the maintenance is requiring a constant balance of fluids. This balance is requiring a gain and loss of fluids in the body.
- Organ System - ten main organ systems are playing an important role in maintaining the homeostasis. All these different organs systems are working together to maintain it.
- Integumentary, Muscular and Skeletal Systems - the integumentary system is made of skin, nails, hairs and glands. The muscular system is comprised of skeletal muscle, smooth msucle and cardiac musucle. The skeletal system is made of all the bones, lingaments, connective tissue and also tendons. The main function of the integumentary system is it to protect the body from foreign infections. The muscular system is involved in actions such as digestion, walking etc. .The skeletal system in being involved in the locomotion of the body. The muscular system is working with the skeletal system in a tandem which means that they are working both together.
- Lymphatic and Digestive System - the lymphatic system is also known as the "immune system", which is responsible for protecting the body from foreign invasions. The digestive system its main job is to digest and absorb nutrients from the food. The digestive system occurs in the lymphatic system. Toxins that are coming from the digestive system are being absorbed by the lymphatic system.
- Endocrine System - it produces various of hormones that are affecting the overall growth and the developement of the body. One example for the endocrine system is "metabolism" which is regulated by it.
- Circulatory System - the main job of this system is it to maintain the blood stream through the entire body while waste products that are not necessary are being removed and is transporting hormones. Almost every other system is dependent on the circulatory system because this system is supplying the other systems with nutrients etc. .
- Respiratory System - this system is providing the circulatory system with oxygen and is working together with it in a tandem. It is also removing the waste products that the metabolic processes have made.
- Urinary System - it is removing the waste products that were produced in our body and is regulating the body fluids. The urinary system is responsible for maintaining the count of red blood cells in our body and having the perfect pH level in the body.
- Nervous System - the nervous system is made of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The "hypothalamus" that is in our brain is an important part for maintaining homeostasis. While it is affecting the nervous system it is also responsible for controlling all the other organ within our body. The nervous system is regulating all the other system that are in our body.
Different solutions affect the changes in osmotic pressure by when the solute concentration is greater, then then the osmotic pressure is also going to be higher. So the osmotic pressure is a result of the solute concentration. The osmotic pressure is necessary because it regulates how much water is passing through the "semipermeable membrane". In the picture below there in an example of how water tends to pass through the solution that contains less solutes.
The one side that has more solutes than the other side is creating a pressure because they have a difference. That's why water is tending to go over to the other side. The effect of that is that the side with less solutes gains some and the water side is losing solutes. When both sides are equal the osmosis is being balanced. Osmotic pressure is being caused by two concentrations that are equalizing which are divided by a "semipermeable membrane" that is between the two concentrations.