Figure 9. Two different transport mechanisms with detailed concentration changes along the paths.

In path 1, the initial bulk fluid concentration of lignans (initial concentration C₀) was passively transported a distance of X₁ through the bulk fluid (reaction constant k₇) and the cell membrane (thickness X₂, reaction constants k₈) to reach the inner membrane where due the membrane barrier the concentration dropped sharply to the effective innermembraneous concentration C_fl, which was then moved into the cytoplasmic compartment and degraded (reaction constant k₉) to C_mE at the reaction site of intracellular compartment (Fig. 9). Path 2 is the SC-2-assisted transport in which lignans in the bulk fluid (concentration, C₀) were rapidly taken up by SC-2 already conjugated with the outer membrane (through a distance X₁, reaction constant k₄), where the outer membrane concentration rapidly dropped to C_om. Due to the “actively” pumping effect of SC-2, the intramembrane lignan concentration was rapidly raised to C_mA (through a distance of membrane thickness X₂, reaction constant k₅), which, on moving along the inner membrane barrier, abruptly dropped down to C′_mA and simultaneously transferred into the cytoplamic compartment and soon degraded to attain the final concentration C_mE at the reaction site (reaction constant k₆).