Cell Biology Interview Question:

How does facilitated diffusion present similarities with enzymatic chemical reactions?

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One of the main examples of facilitated transport is the entrance of glucose from the blood into cells. Glucose from blood binds to specific permeases (hexose-transporting permeases) present in the cell membrane and by diffusion facilitated by these proteins it enters the cell to play its metabolic functions.

Facilitated diffusion resembles chemical catalysis because the transported substances bind to permeases like substrates bind to enzymes and in addition after one transport job is concluded the permease is not consumed and can perform successive other transports.
Submitted by: Administrator