Does osmosis through the cell occur through aquaporins?
I thought that, because water is polar, it cannot pass easily through the phospholipid bilayer so it needs help from channels, or aquaporins; however if osmosis is diffusion, then what is the point of aquaporins?
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answers:
Zirp say: if the water can't pass, osmosis won't happen

I guess the polarity is compensated for by watermolecules being very small
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Ted K say: For water to diffuse (osmosis), it needs 1) a concentration gradient and 2) a pathway for diffusion. Aquaporins provide that pathway. They are simply water channels inserted in the membrane which allow water to diffuse through.
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xvzfd say: tqwndgxx
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