Permeability
Permeability (medicine)
Permeability (/pɜːrmiːəˈbɪlɪti/) in the field of medicine refers to the ability of a biological membrane to allow substances to pass through it.
Etymology
The term permeability originates from the Latin word 'permeabilis', which means 'passable'. It is a combination of 'per-', meaning 'through', and 'meare', meaning 'to pass'.
Definition
In medicine, permeability is often used to describe the property of cell membranes that allows them to control the movement of substances in and out of the cell. This is a critical function that helps maintain the cell's internal environment, or homeostasis.
Related Terms
- Diffusion: The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. It is one of the key processes that contribute to the permeability of cell membranes.
- Osmosis: The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. Osmosis is a special case of diffusion.
- Active transport: The movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy.
- Passive transport: The movement of biochemicals and other atomic or molecular substances across cell membranes without need of energy input.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Permeability
- Wikipedia's article - Permeability
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