| active transport | |
| —n | |
| biochem, physiol a process by which molecules are enabled to pass across a membrane from a region in which they are in a low concentration to one of high concentration; this requires the expenditure of energy in metabolism and is assisted by carrier proteins, commonly referred to as pumps | |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
active transport n.
The passage of ions or molecules across a cell membrane against an electrochemical or concentration gradient, or against the normal direction of diffusion.
| active transport
The movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane in the direction opposite that of diffusion, that is, from an area of lower concentration to one of higher concentration. Active transport requires the assistance of a type of protein called a carrier protein, using energy supplied by ATP. |