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Medical Definition of Ion transport
1. The movement of ions across energy-transducing cell membranes. Transport can be active or passive. Passive ion transport (facilitated diffusion) derives its energy from the concentration gradient of the ion itself and allows the transport of a single solute in one direction (uniport). Active ion transport is usually coupled to an energy-yielding chemical or photochemical reaction such as ATP hydrolysis. This form of primary active transport is called an ion pump. Secondary active transport utilises the voltage and ion gradients produced by the primary transport to drive the cotransport of other ions or molecules. These may be transported in the same (symport) or opposite (antiport) direction. (12 Dec 1998)