Active transport uses energy to pump molecules against a concentration gradient. Active transport is carried out by membrane proteins. Hence different proteins in the membrane play a major role in both active as well as passive transport. Pumps are proteins that use energy to carry substances across the cell membrane.
These pumps can transport substances from a low concentration to a high concentration. Transport rate reaches a maximum when all the protein transporters are being used or are saturated. Like enzymes the carrier protein is very specific in what it carries across the membrane. These proteins are sensitive to inhibitors that react with protein side chains.
