Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Membrane Transporters

Membrane Transporters

Transporters are essential membrane transport proteins with functions related to cell nutrition, homeostasis, communication, etc. Approximately 7% of all genes in the human genome code for transporters or transporter-related proteins.
Transporters are mainly composed of alpha-helices, built from bundles of ten or more helices traversing the plasma membrane. The solute-binding sites are located midway, where some of the helices are broken or distorted, making space for the binding site through...

Membrane Proteins

Membrane Proteins

Plasma membranes have integral transmembrane proteins involved in facilitated transport. These proteins are collectively referred to as transport proteins, and they function as either channels for the material or as carriers themselves. Channel proteins have hydrophilic domains exposed to the intracellular and extracellular fluids and a hydrophilic channel through their core that provides a hydrated opening for solutes to pass through the membrane layers. Passage through the channel allows...

Membrane Proteins

Membrane Proteins

Plasma membranes have integral transmembrane proteins involved in facilitated transport. These proteins are collectively referred to as transport proteins, and they function as either channels for the material or as carriers themselves. Channel proteins have hydrophilic domains exposed to the intracellular and extracellular fluids and a hydrophilic channel through their core that provides a hydrated opening for solutes to pass through the membrane layers. Passage through the channel allows...

The Significance of Membrane Transport

The Significance of Membrane Transport

The transport of solutes across the cell membrane is essential for metabolic processes, like maintaining cell size and volume, generating the action potential, exchanging nutrients and gases, etc. Membrane transport can be either passive or active. It can be simple diffusion, facilitated, or mediated transport aided by transport proteins such as transporters and channels.
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...

The Significance of Membrane Transport

The Significance of Membrane Transport

The transport of solutes across the cell membrane is essential for metabolic processes, like maintaining cell size and volume, generating the action potential, exchanging nutrients and gases, etc. Membrane transport can be either passive or active. It can be simple diffusion, facilitated, or mediated transport aided by transport proteins such as transporters and channels.
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...

Facilitated Diffusion

Facilitated Diffusion

The plasma membrane, a critical structure in cellular biology, houses an array of transporters, or carrier proteins, interspersed within its lipid bilayer. These proteins play a crucial role in solute transport through facilitated diffusion, a form of passive diffusion that uses transporters to move the molecules across the membrane.
In this process, substrates such as organic compounds and ions interact with a transporter on one side, triggering conformational changes in proteins that enable...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Intercellular transport.

Science signaling·2013

Same author

Coupled transport protein systems.

Science signaling·2013

Same author

Charged membranes.

Science signaling·2013

Same author

The Ras-MAPK signal transduction pathway.

Science signaling·2010

Same author

The cAMP signal transduction pathway.

Science signaling·2010

Same author

The inositol trisphosphate (IP3) signal transduction pathway.

Science signaling·2010

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles

Published on: December 31, 2019

Transport proteins.

Jack D Thatcher¹

¹West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, 400 North Lee Street, Lewisburg, WV 24901, USA. jthatcher@osteo.wvsom.edu

Science Signaling

|April 18, 2013

Summary

This teaching resource features two animated lessons on transport proteins, covering their classes and mechanisms. These animations are ideal for college biology and biochemistry courses.

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Physiology

Background:

Transport proteins are crucial for cellular function.
Understanding their classes and mechanisms is essential for biological sciences.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide animated lessons illustrating general properties of transport proteins.
To describe major classes and subclasses of transport proteins.
To explain the function of transporters and P class ATPase pumps.

Main Methods:

Development of two animated lessons: 'transport protein classes' and 'transporters, mechanism of action'.
Content focuses on illustrating general properties, major classes, subclasses, and functional mechanisms.

Main Results:

More Related Videos

Demonstration of Membrane Transport of Histidine using Goat Intestinal Inverted Sacs: An Experiential Pedagogical Tool for Undergraduates

Demonstration of Membrane Transport of Histidine using Goat Intestinal Inverted Sacs: An Experiential Pedagogical Tool for Undergraduates

Published on: October 4, 2024

High-Throughput Expression and Purification of Human Solute Carriers for Structural and Biochemical Studies

High-Throughput Expression and Purification of Human Solute Carriers for Structural and Biochemical Studies

Published on: September 29, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles

Published on: December 31, 2019

Demonstration of Membrane Transport of Histidine using Goat Intestinal Inverted Sacs: An Experiential Pedagogical Tool for Undergraduates

Demonstration of Membrane Transport of Histidine using Goat Intestinal Inverted Sacs: An Experiential Pedagogical Tool for Undergraduates

Published on: October 4, 2024

High-Throughput Expression and Purification of Human Solute Carriers for Structural and Biochemical Studies

High-Throughput Expression and Purification of Human Solute Carriers for Structural and Biochemical Studies

Published on: September 29, 2023

The resource visually depicts the diversity of transport protein classes.
Animations clearly demonstrate the functional mechanisms of transporters and P class ATPase pumps.

Conclusions:

These animated lessons serve as valuable, accessible resources for collegiate-level courses.
The animations enhance understanding in introductory biology, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, and biophysics.