The cell membrane plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis by controlling the internal environment of the cell. This is achieved through various mechanisms:
Passive Transport: Substances move across the membrane without the use of energy, down their concentration gradients, through processes like diffusion and osmosis. Active Transport: The cell uses energy (usually in the form of ATP) to transport substances against their concentration gradients. This is facilitated by transport proteins like pumps. Endocytosis and Exocytosis: Large molecules are transported into the cell via endocytosis and out of the cell via exocytosis. These processes involve the membrane folding around the substance to form vesicles.
