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Bulk Transport

Bulk transport is a form of active transport and requires energy.Molecules too large to pass through channel or carrier proteins such as such as enzymes and peptide hormones can be transported into and out of the cell in vesicles.Endocytosis involves transport into the cells from the external environment.Phagocytosis is the transport of large molecules and pinocytosis is transport of fluids.The membrane invaginates and pinches off to form a vesicle that encloses the molecule to be taken in.The vesicle then moves into the cytoplasm.Vesicles containing bacteria fuse with lysosomes and the lysozyme digests and destroys the bacteria.Exocytosis involves the reverse process.Vesicles containing the molecules to be exported fuse with the membrane and release the contents outside the cell.Endocytosis and exocytosis use energy in the form of ATP.

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Specification: OCR Biology A (H020), AS-level, 2.1.5 Biological membranes. Topic: Plasma Membrane.

Key terms in this lesson

lysosome
A vesicle containing hydrolytic enzymes that breaks down waste material, old organelles and pathogens.
phagocytosis
The process by which a cell, such as a white blood cell, engulfs and digests a pathogen or debris.
vesicle
A small, fluid-filled sac bound by a single membrane, used for storage and transport within the cell.
ATP
Adenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide that acts as the immediate energy source of a cell, releasing energy when hydrolysed to ADP and inorganic phosphate.
active transport
The movement of molecules or ions across a membrane, often against their concentration gradient, using ATP and carrier proteins.

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