Active Transport

• Active transport

  Particles move from an area of low concentration to high concentration, against the concentration gradient
• Active transport requires energy
• Main types of active transport

  • Endocytosis
  • Exocytosis
  • Protein pumps
• Endocytosis


  Cell uses its cell membrane to pull in large particles
• Types of endocytosis

  • Phagocytosis (cell takes in nutrients)
  • Pinocytosis (cell takes in fluids by creating pockets in the cell membrane)
• Exocytosis


  Cell removes large molecules or wastes by fusing membrane-bound vesicles containing them with the cell membrane, forcing them out of the cell
• Exocytosis shares the first two letters with 'exit'
• Endocytosis shares the first two letters with 'enter'
• Protein pumps

  Cell uses special protein pumps to move small molecules or ions against the concentration gradient into or out of the cell
• Example of protein pump


  • Sodium potassium pump (uses ATP to move sodium ions out and potassium ions in)
• Protein pumps used in active transport require energy