X-Nico

unusual facts about facilitated diffusion



Beta cell

When the glucose concentration outside the cell is high, glucose molecules move into the cell by facilitated diffusion, down its concentration gradient through the GLUT2 transporter.

Gestational diabetes

Because glucose travels across the placenta (through diffusion facilitated by GLUT3 carriers), in untreated gestational diabetes the fetus is exposed to consistently higher glucose levels.


see also

Glycogenolysis

The phosphate group of glucose-6-phosphate is removed by the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase, which is not present in myocytes, and the free glucose exits the cell via GLUT2 facilitated diffusion channels in the hepatocyte cell membrane.