Semipermeabilitását

Semipermeabilitását, often translated as semipermeability or selective permeability, describes the property of a membrane that allows certain molecules or ions to pass through by diffusion, and occasionally specialized facilitated diffusion, but blocks the passage of others. This selective passage is based on factors such as the size, charge, and chemical properties of the particles.

Biological membranes are prime examples of semipermeable barriers. The plasma membrane surrounding cells, for instance, controls the movement of nutrients into the cell and waste products out. This property is crucial for maintaining the cell's internal environment, a process known as homeostasis. Similarly, the membranes within organelles, like mitochondria and the nucleus, exhibit semipermeability, regulating the specific functions within these compartments.

In non-biological contexts, semipermeable membranes are utilized in various technologies. Dialysis, a medical procedure to remove waste products from blood, relies on a semipermeable membrane to filter out unwanted substances while retaining essential ones. Reverse osmosis, used for water purification and desalination, also employs semipermeable membranes to separate water from dissolved salts and other impurities under pressure. The effectiveness of a semipermeable membrane is often described by its permeability to different substances and its selectivity, which is its ability to distinguish between them.