When the nutrient concentration in the fetal blood is greater than the nutrient concentration in the maternal blood,nutrients will likely be transferred against the concentration gradient via:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Active transport is the only mechanism that can move substances against a concentration gradient, from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration. This requires energy, usually in the form of ATP, and specialized transport proteins embedded in the cell membrane. Therefore, if the nutrient concentration in fetal blood is greater than in maternal blood, active transport is likely the mechanism by which nutrients are transported against the concentration gradient from the maternal blood to the fetal blood. Passive diffusion, facilitated diffusion, pinocytosis, and exocytosis all move substances down their concentration gradient, from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration, and are unlikely to be involved in nutrient transfer from maternal to fetal circulation in this scenario.

When the Nutrient Concentration in the Fetal Blood Is Greater