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Related Concept Videos

Diffusion01:12

Diffusion

Diffusion is the passive movement of substances down their concentration gradients—requiring no expenditure of cellular energy. Substances, such as molecules or ions, diffuse from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration in the cytosol or across membranes. Eventually, the concentration will even out, with the substance moving randomly but causing no net change in concentration. Such a state is called dynamic equilibrium, which is essential for maintaining overall...
Diffusion01:21

Diffusion

Diffusion is a type of passive transport. In passive transport, a substance tends to move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until the concentration is equal across the space. For example, take the diffusion of substances through the air. When someone opens a perfume bottle in a room filled with people, 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...
Facilitated Transport01:19

Facilitated Transport

The chemical and physical properties of plasma membranes cause them to be selectively permeable. Since plasma membranes have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, substances need to be able to transverse both regions. The hydrophobic area of membranes repels substances such as charged ions. Therefore, such substances need special membrane proteins to cross a membrane successfully. In  facilitated transport, also known as facilitated diffusion, molecules and ions travel across a membrane via...
Facilitated Transport01:19

Facilitated Transport

The chemical and physical properties of plasma membranes cause them to be selectively permeable. Since plasma membranes have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, substances need to be able to transverse both regions. The hydrophobic area of membranes repels substances such as charged ions. Therefore, such substances need special membrane proteins to cross a membrane successfully. In  facilitated transport, also known as facilitated diffusion, molecules and ions travel across a membrane via...
Facilitated Transport01:19

Facilitated Transport

The chemical and physical properties of plasma membranes cause them to be selectively permeable. Since plasma membranes have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, substances need to be able to transverse both regions. The hydrophobic area of membranes repels substances such as charged ions. Therefore, such substances need special membrane proteins to cross a membrane successfully. In  facilitated transport, also known as facilitated diffusion, molecules and ions travel across a membrane via...
Fluid Movement Between Compartments01:18

Fluid Movement Between Compartments

The force applied by fluids against a surface, known as hydrostatic pressure, initiates the transfer of fluid among different compartments. Within our blood vessels, the blood's hydrostatic pressure is a result of the heart's pumping action. At the arteriolar end of capillaries, hydrostatic pressure (capillary blood pressure) exceeds the opposing colloid osmotic pressure created primarily by plasma proteins like albumin. This discrepancy in pressure propels plasma and nutrients from the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules
10:20

Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules

Published on: September 5, 2019

Superdiffusive transport by multivalent molecular walkers moving under load.

Mark J Olah1, Darko Stefanovic

  • 1Department of Computer Science, University of New Mexico, MSC01 1130, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA. mjo@cs.unm.edu

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|July 16, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A novel model shows that a molecular motor with flexible legs can convert chemical energy into directed movement. This biased, superdiffusive motion occurs even against external forces, enabling efficient work.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules
10:20

Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules

Published on: September 5, 2019

Mapping Molecular Diffusion in the Plasma Membrane by Multiple-Target Tracing (MTT)
12:19

Mapping Molecular Diffusion in the Plasma Membrane by Multiple-Target Tracing (MTT)

Published on: May 27, 2012

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow
08:01

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow

Published on: May 1, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Chemical Physics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Translational molecular motors are crucial for cellular processes.
  • Understanding their energy conversion mechanisms is key to designing artificial systems.
  • Existing models often rely on structural anisotropy or complex coordination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a new model for molecular motors.
  • To demonstrate how a multivalent catalytic walker can generate mechanical work and directed motion.
  • To explore the role of flexible, uncoordinated legs in motor function.

Main Methods:

  • Mathematical formulation as a continuous-time Markov process.
  • Numerical study using Monte Carlo simulations.
  • Ensemble estimation of mean squared displacement and mean work done.

Main Results:

  • The model demonstrates energy transformation from substrate sites into mechanical work.
  • Biased, superdiffusive motion is achieved even against external load forces.
  • A residence time bias between visited and unvisited sites drives directed movement.

Conclusions:

  • A multivalent random walker with flexible legs can function as a molecular motor.
  • This mechanism enables biased motion without inherent structural anisotropy or conformational coupling.
  • The model provides a framework for adapting enzyme-substrate systems into functional molecular motors.