Page 152 - The Miracle in the Cell Membrane

The Miracle in the Cell Membrane

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brought in. Thus, dif fer ent con cen tra tions linked to the
sodi um (Na+) and potas si um (K+) ions arise in the cell.
These pumps present in all the body's cells, are used to
ensure con cen tra tion of ions inside the cell and to con trol
cell vol ume.
One side of the trans port pro tein forms a pro tru sion
towards the inside of the cell. On it are three recep tors for
the bind ing of sodi um ions. When three sodi um ions are
attached to the inner side of the trans port pro tein, the
pro tein's ATP-az (an enzyme inside ATP—ade no sine tri -
phos phate, the cel lu lar ener gy used direct ly by liv ing
things) is acti vat ed. This enzyme breaks down the ener -
gy-bear ing ATP and turns it into ADP (ade no sine
diphos phate, a com pound emerg ing when the phos phate
group sep a rates from ATP). As the ener gy is freed, a
change occurs in the trans port pro tein mol e cule that
caus es sodi um ions to head for the out side and potas si -
um ions to enter.
The ion-pump ing sys tem we have described in gen er -
al terms is only one of the com plex proc ess es in the cell
mem brane that sci en tists have spent years stud y ing.
There is great wis dom in all the details that emerge under
an elec tron micro scope. Allah has cre at ed humans to be
in need of every one of these sys tems. The infor ma tion
dis cov ered in recent years offers us an impor tant oppor -
tu ni ty to appre ci ate the omnis cience of Allah, Who per -
vades all pla ces. In the Qur'an it is revealed that:

". . . My Lord encom pass es all things in His knowl -
edge, so will you not pay heed?" (Surat al-An'am, 80)

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