A membrane transport process is found experimentally to lack a saturation limit.Which of the following is a possible property of the process?
A)energy-dependent
B)carrier-mediated
C)secondary active transport
D)active transport
E)diffusion

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A membrane transport process that lacks a saturation limit is indicative of diffusion, where the rate of transport is not limited by the number of available transporters or carriers. Energy-dependent processes such as active transport and secondary active transport have a saturation limit, as there are only a finite number of transporters available that can be saturated with substrate molecules. Carrier-mediated transport also has a saturation limit, as there are a limited number of transporter proteins available for the movement of solutes across the membrane. Therefore, diffusion is the only possible property of a membrane transport process that lacks a saturation limit.

A Membrane Transport Process Is Found Experimentally to Lack a Saturation