You are working on a team that is designing a new drug. In order for this drug to work, it must enter the cytoplasm of specific target cells. Which of the following would be a factor that determines whether the molecule selectively enters the target cells?
A) blood or tissue type of the patient
B) hydrophobicity of the drug molecule
C) lack of charge on the drug molecule
D) similarity of the drug molecule to other molecules transported by the target cells
E) lipid composition of the target cells' plasma membrane

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The similarity of the drug molecule to other molecules transported by the target cells would determine whether the drug selectively enters the target cells. If the structure of the drug molecule is similar to the molecules actively transported by the target cells, the drug molecule will be recognized and transported into the cell. This is known as molecular recognition. Factors such as blood or tissue type of the patient, hydrophobicity of the drug molecule, lack of charge on the drug molecule, and lipid composition of the target cells' plasma membrane may affect the uptake of the drug, but they would not be the primary determining factor for the selective entry of the drug molecule into the target cells.

You Are Working on a Team That Is Designing a New