Transcellular transport

Transcellular transport involves the transportation of solutes by a cell through a cell. One classic example is the movement of glucose from the intestinal lumen to extracellular fluid by epithelial cells.

Epithelial cells use primary and secondary active transport, often in conjunction with passive diffusion through ion channels, to produce transcellular transport across epithelial tissues. This transport can either be absorption, transport from lumen (apical membrane surface) to blood, or secretion, transport from blood (basolateral membrane surface) to lumen.