Can glucose diffuse through a cell membrane?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether glucose, a type of sugar, can pass through the lipid bilayer of a cell membrane. This involves understanding the properties of glucose and the mechanisms of molecular transport in cells.
Answer
Glucose cannot diffuse through the cell membrane by simple diffusion.
The final answer is glucose cannot diffuse through the cell membrane by simple diffusion because it is too large and is instead transported via facilitated diffusion.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is glucose cannot diffuse through the cell membrane by simple diffusion because it is too large and is instead transported via facilitated diffusion.
More Information
Glucose, being a large molecule, requires the assistance of carrier proteins (like GLUT transporters) for facilitated diffusion, a passive transport mechanism that doesn't require energy from the cell.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming that all small or uncharged molecules can simply diffuse through the membrane. It's important to remember that molecule size and polarity play significant roles.
Sources
- Facilitated Diffusion – CK-12 Introductory Biology - bio.libretexts.org
- Transport of Small Molecules – NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Can Glucose Diffuse Through the Cell Membrane by Simple Diffusion? – Sciencing - sciencing.com
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