Endocytosis is an active cellular transport mechanism in which substances are brought into the cell with the help of vesicles. Here we try to find out is endocytosis diffusion or not?
The answer is no, the endocytosis process is not diffusion. Both the endocytosis and diffusion process are cellular transport mechanisms but very different from each other. In the endocytosis process large substances like protein molecules are transported inside the cell. Whereas in diffusion process smaller polar molecules, gasses are transported.
To initiate the process of endocytosis firstly the cell membrane near the substance induces to fold and engulfs the substance needing to be transported inside. In this way a vesicle-like Membrane bound structure is produced by a cell membrane which carries the substance inside it across the plasma membrane.
Is endocytosis diffusion or not from Wikimedia commons
Why endocytosis is not diffusion?
With a concern to the question of endocytosis diffusion or not, we found that both are different. Let’s discuss why endocytosis is not similar to the diffusion process.
In Spite of being cellular transport mechanisms, both the processes are very different from each other. Endocytosis is an active mass transport mechanism which transports mostly large molecules inside the cell and consumes energy or undergoes ATP hydrolysis to facilitate transportation. But in case of diffusion it is a passive transport mechanism meaning it doesn’t consume cellular energy for transportation and also transport small substances comparing endocytosis.
Cellular endocytosis process from Wikimedia commons
Endocytosis vs diffusion
Let’s find out the similarities and differences between endocytosis and diffusion process through comparing them below.
| CharacteristicsEndocytosisDiffusionType of transportationEndocytosis is an active type of transportation, in which cellular energy is consumed by the reaction to facilitate the transportation process. | Diffusion is a passive transport mechanism. It means in the diffusion process any kind of energy or ATP hydrolysis is not required to facilitate the transportation process. | |
| Cellular control | Endocytosis process is very much selected and intimately controlled by the cellular system or cell membrane system. | Diffusion process is not controlled by the cellular system, wherever a concentration gradient is created the transportables substances diffusion through the gradient automatically. |
| Types | There are two types of endocytosis processes found in cellular systems, such as pinocytosis and phagocytosis. | There are two types of diffusion processes such as simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion. |
| Mediation | The endocytosis process required a mediator to complete the transportation process and the mediator is cellular vesicles. | The diffusion process doesn’t need any kind of mediator or carrier to complete the transportation process. |
| Presence of concentration gradient | In the endocytosis process the presence of concentration gradient is not required. | In the diffusion process the concentration gradient is very significant in the transportation process because only in the presence of it molecules can be transported. |
| Requirement of protein and lipid | In the endocytosis process protein and lipid molecules are required to form the transporting vesicles. | In the diffusion process any kind of protein or lipid molecules are not involved. |
| Direction of transportation | In the endocytosis process molecules can only be transported inside the cell from the outer cellular environment. | In the diffusion process molecules can be transported both outside or inside the cell. |
| Types of substances transport through the process | In the endocytosis process solid and liquid (solute and solvent both) both can be transported inside the cell. | In case of diffusion only the solute can be transported according to the concentration gradient. |
What type of diffusion is endocytosis?
The diffusion and endocytosis processes are not similar to each other. The diffusion process is passive while the endocytosis process is an active transport mechanism, there are several more differences between them, hence there is no diffusion process similar to endocytosis process.
Is endocytosis facilitated diffusion?
Facilitated diffusion process is a type of diffusion process in which molecules to be transported move across the cell with the help of channel proteins.
The endocytosis process is not a facilitated diffusion process. Facilitated diffusion process is a passive transportation in which molecules move across the plasma membrane with the help of channel proteins.whereas endocytosis process is a active transport mechanisms which consume cellular energy and form a vesicle like structure through the help of plasma membrane and transport substances inside the cell.
Facilitated diffusion process from Wikimedia commons
Endocytosis vs facilitated diffusion
Let’s discuss some similarities and differences between the endocytosis and facilitated diffusion process by comparing them respectively.
| Characteristics | Endocytosis | Facilitated Diffusion |
| Type of transportation | Endocytosis is an active type of transportation, in which cellular energy is consumed by the reaction for carrying out the transportation process. | Facilitated diffusion is a passive transport mechanism. It means in this process any kind of energy or ATP hydrolysis is not required to facilitate the transportation process. |
| Cellular control | Endocytosis process is very much selected and intimately controlled by the cellular system or cell membrane system. Molecules need to be transported inside, the plasma membrane engulfs that molecule and makes a vesicle-like membrane bound structure which carries the substance inside the cell. | Facilitated diffusion process is also completely controlled by the cellular system. When some molecules need to be transported, cellular systems induce channel proteins to open a channel or pore for the molecules across the plasma membrane. |
| Mediation | The endocytosis process required a mediator to complete the transportation process and the mediator is cellular vesicles. | The facilitated diffusion process needs a channel protein as a mediator which opens a pore across the cellular membrane for it and then molecules can diffuse through it. |
| Presence of concentration gradient | In the endocytosis process the presence of concentration gradient is not required. | In facilitated diffusion process the concentration gradient is very significant in the transportation process because molecules passed through the pore or channels, moves only according to the concentration gradient |
| Requirement of protein and lipid | In the endocytosis process protein and lipid molecules are required to form the transporting vesicles. | In the facilitated diffusion process protein substances more specifically protein channels are required to open the pore for transportation across the membrane. |
| Direction of transportation | In the endocytosis process molecules can only be transported inside the cell from the outer cellular environment. | In the facilitated diffusion process molecules can be transported both outside or inside the cell. |
| Types of substances transport through the process | In the endocytosis process large molecules like nutrients, proteins, enzymes, pathogens, etc are transported inside the cell. | In case of facilitated diffusion only water molecules, or polar ions such as sodium ions, potassium ions, chloride ions are transported across the plasma membrane. |
Is endocytosis simple diffusion?
Simple diffusion process is a type of diffusion process in which anywith requiring any energy or ATP molecules, substances can move according to their concentration gradient from one place to another.
The endocytosis process is not a simple diffusion process. Simple diffusion process is a passive transport mechanism whereas the endocytosis process is an active transport mechanism. In the endocytosis process molecules can only be transported inside the cell whereas in a simple diffusion process molecules can move any side of the cell according to the concentration gradient only.
Simple diffusion process from Wikimedia commons
Endocytosis vs simple diffusion
Let’s discuss some similarities and differences between the endocytosis and simple diffusion process by comparing them respectively.
| Characteristics | Endocytosis | Simple Diffusion |
| Type of transportation | Endocytosis is an active type of transportation, in which cellular energy is consumed by the reaction to facilitate the transportation process. | Simple Diffusion is a passive transport mechanism. It means in this process any kind of energy or ATP hydrolysis is not required to facilitate the transportation process. |
| Cellular control | Endocytosis process is very much selected and intimately controlled by the cellular system or cell membrane system. | Simple diffusion process is not controlled by the cellular system, wherever a concentration gradient is created the transportables substances diffusion through the gradient automatically. |
| Mediation | The endocytosis process required a mediator to complete the transportation process and the mediator is cellular vesicles. | The simple diffusion process doesn’t need any kind of mediator or carrier to complete the transportation process. |
| Presence of concentration gradient | In the endocytosis process the presence of concentration gradient is not required. | In the simple diffusion process the concentration gradient is very significant in the transportation process because only in the presence of it molecules can be transported. |
| Requirement of protein and lipid | In the endocytosis process protein and lipid molecules are required to form the transporting vesicles. | In this process any kind of protein or lipid molecules are not involved. |
| Direction of transportation | In the endocytosis process molecules can only be transported inside the cell from the outer cellular environment. | In the simple diffusion process molecules can be transported both outside or inside the cell. |
| Types of substances transport through the processIn the endocytosis process solid and liquid (solute and solvent both) both can be transported inside the cell. | In case of simple diffusion only the solute can be transported according to the concentration gradient. |
Conclusion
As a whole we can say that endocytosis process and Diffusion process both are very significant cellular transport mechanisms. Here, through discussing some similarities and differences between the endocytosis and diffusion process, we try to find out is endocytosis diffusion or not. Hope this article on endocytosis vs Diffusion process will be helpful to you.
Also Read:
- Antiparallel dna strands 2
- Chemiosmosis in mitochondria
- Are membrane proteins carrier proteins
- Protease enzyme example
- Are protists bacteria
- Archaea cell membrane and bacteria cell membrane
- Protein enzyme example
- Rhizome examples
- Nucleic acid vs nucleotide
- Can enzymes change shape
Hello, I am Piyali Das, pursuing my Post Graduation in Zoology from Calcutta University. I am very passionate on Academic Article writing. My aim is to explain complex things in simple way through my writings for the readers.