Biology – 3.3 Active transport | e-Consult
3.3 Active transport (1 questions)
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Root hairs play a vital role in absorbing essential mineral ions from the soil. However, the concentration of these ions in the soil solution is often much lower than the concentration inside the root hair cells. Therefore, active transport is essential for the uptake of these ions.
The Process of Ion Uptake by Root Hairs via Active Transport:
- Ion Pumps: Root hair cells contain specialized ion pumps in their cell membranes. These pumps are typically ATP-dependent.
- Specific Ion Transport: These pumps are often specific for particular ions, such as potassium (K+), nitrate (NO3-), and phosphate (PO43-).
- Against the Gradient: The pumps actively transport these ions against their concentration gradients, requiring energy from ATP. This ensures that the ions are concentrated inside the root hair cell.
- Co-transport: Often, the uptake of one ion is coupled with the transport of another. For example, the uptake of potassium (K+) may be coupled with the uptake of nitrate (NO3-) via co-transporters. This is a form of secondary active transport.
Importance: Active transport ensures that root hair cells can efficiently absorb essential mineral ions from the soil, even when the soil solution has a lower concentration of these ions than the cell. This is crucial for plant growth and development, as these ions are essential for various metabolic processes, including photosynthesis and protein synthesis.