Algae Nutrient Uptake: Diffusion or Active Transport?

[Sundog]

Does anyone know how algae take in nutrients? Is it by diffusion or active transport?

 

[DiracPool]

Does anyone know how algae take in nutrients? Is it by diffusion or active transport?

Facilitated diffusion.

From: http://lifeofplant.blogspot.com/2011/03/osmosis-simple-diffusion-and.html

"All other materials that enter and leave cells down their chemical or electrochemical gradients do so by facilitated diffusion. Forming this pathway is the role of the particular membrane proteins, called carrier proteins, transport proteins, or permeases.

Such proteins allow larger, polar molecules such as sugars and amino acids to be taken up by cells. They control the response of cells to certain growth factors and hormones, whose binding to the cell membrane causes channels for facilitated diffusion to open or close selectively."